Amiss Assumptions and Alternate Endings: The Heart Does Twisted Things
by Kitty.M.Smith
Summary: Following the original Amiss Assumptions and Alternate Endings: With the threat of the mysterious and ferocious Iron Clads hanging over them, Amelia and Delbert's love and commitment is questionable and ripping; meanwhile Jim is making connections that could change the Terran Empire forever, and an old foe resurfaces, making everyone question what is real and what is not.
1. Chapter 1

And here we have it, the sequel to my most successful fanfiction ever, one which attracted some of the best people I've met in a long time. :)

I dedicate this story to all the loyal readers who followed the last one, to the readers to come, and to my friend who helped me with this story. :)

You're all awesome.

* * *

Amelia spread marmite on her toast and took a bite, enjoying the salty taste as it swept across her tongue. This was possibly even more enjoyable than the sun of the early morn. She finished off the toast, licking her fingers and then standing. She downed the rest of her coffee, picked at her prim uniform jacket, and walked inside. She set her things in the sink to be washed later and brushed her teeth, coming back downstairs in time to catch Sunny, in a most heroic form of toddler bravery, attempting to steal a cookie from the cookie jar, his hair sticking up like he'd put his finger in a light socket.

"Oh, no, no, no," she scooped him up, getting a squeal from the little boy. She tickled his belly to drawl out more squeals before blowing a raspberry on it and holding him close. Though hyped up, he snuggled up to her immediately and remained still as he pet her head. "Surprised your awake this early little one...makes me won-" She stopped, letting out a soft giggle when she felt Delbert kissing her neck and wrap his arms around her waist.

"Daddy!" Chirped Sunny, reaching his chubby little hands to Delbert. Delbert smiles and leaned over Amelia, taking and kissing his hands, making Sunny giggle. He then kissed Amelia on the lips, resting his hands on her hips. "Good morning darling."

"Good morning." She nuzzled him. "Usually you aren't up this early, sleepyhead."

"Well usually someone doesn't accidently leave her perfume bottle wide open on my side of the bed." He mumbled into her neck. She smirked and turned around, handing him Sunny and then making a new pot of coffee, pouring him a cup and adding far too little sugar and far too much cream. She always mixed them up, but Delbert never had the heart to tell her. He took it and put Sunny down, allowing the toddler to roam as he followed Amelia to the front door, where she slipped on her provocative uniform boots and kissed his cheek.

"Where are you off too?" He asked, following her to the steps. A few hundred yards away was Aurora, who was managing a carriage pulled by some sort of creature that sported two heads.

"Meeting. No bloody idea what about, but it was called by the Queen."

"Wait, what happened to-"

"The king stepped down Delbert, where have you been, under a rock?"

"In a book." He responded kissing her again. Amelia chuckled. "Either way, she's called a meeting. She's been in power for nearly a year, you know."

"Shit."

She patted his head. "You'll catch up eventually Delby."

"O'tay." He said in a voice much higher in his own before laughing with Amelia and kissing her. She waved and then walked down, climbing into the carriage and being carried off to the meeting by a unusually quiet Aurora.

"Why aren't you talking?" She asked as they pulled up to the ferry and got on. Aurora remained silent, staring at her ticket stub. Her dusty violet eyes were laden with sorrow as she slowly crumpled it in her fist, attracting more attention of the curious Amelia. "This meeting is going to end badly." She said quietly.

"It surely can't be that bad. I wasn't notified of anything." Amelia shrugged it off. By now if anything was going to end up bad, she would know. She was in near constant contact with both the former king and the current Queen, who ruled alone despite the regular customs of marriage before ruling.

"No one has been notified." She said in a dark voice; one that nearly wasn't her own. The one reserved for when it wasn't just herself making these predictions. Amelia glanced at her and caught sight of some gauze wrapped around her wrist and understood. She'd been summoning animals again, more than likely for the purpose of figuring out the strange-goings-on that Amelia admitted she'd been fussing over the past few months. Talk of battle-rumors of a peace treaty with some neighboring kingdom . It was all fuzzy and uncertain. Now the knot forming in Amelia's stomach that made her feel ill was, she felt, a bad omen. They both were silent now, from the ferry to the cab and all the way to the palace, located by the Royal Observatory in the upper left of the spaceport. They showed their ID to the guards and then entered, being greeted with bows from two other guards at the palace doors, who then escorted them to a meeting room.

"Everyone else has already arrived. You're nearly late, actually." Said one guard, rather smugly. Aurora looked at him, flipped him off, and then walked in. Amelia just kicked his shin before carefully following. Around the table were either the highest ranked, most respected, or most promise filled officers and cadets of the Royal Navy, Coast Guard, and Army. Jim and Onyx Arrow were two of the attendees, sitting on either side of Aurora. Besides Amelia, there was General Fredrick Abernathy of the Army, and then General Jeffery Arrow, who was Onyx's father. Queen Illysa stood at one end of the table, while Jeffery and Fredrick sat on either side of the other end. Amelia took the remaining head seat . In order of power, it was Navy, Coast Guard, then Army. Amelia was the closest any military official was going to come to Royalty.

Illysa, dressed in white silk, golden tattoos down her arms, adjusted her elaborate crown and surveyed the crowd, her sharp blue eyes full of both youth and wisdom. She was only twenty three as of her latest birthday two months ago. The curls framing her face bounced as she turned her head to Amelia.

"Madam, how nice of you to join us." You could tell she was young by the tone of sarcasm. Amelia glanced around the table, noting Jim couldn't take his eyes off the young woman. Ah, young infatuation.

"Excuse my less than acceptable attendance, please." She gave no explanation, but none was requested.

Illysa held herself high and breathed deeply. "None of you have been informed of the dire situation our empire finds itself in. Since my father stepped down, I have noticed the tense situation between ourselves and the Procyon Empire. For the last fifty years, we have been on the verge of war."

"Again." Amelia added. They'd been in several major wars over the last few years. Illysa glared. "On the verge of war with Procyon, which, Madam, is-"

"The biggest empire we've faced in centuries over the years we've been battling. We all know this, Your Highness."

"I do not appreciate being interrupted." She growled. Amelia would be dead right now for speaking to royalty like this, if it wasn't for her position.

"I do not appreciate sitting through senseless rambling." Amelia said calmly, standing. "I think you best get to the point. The less time we spend here, the more time we spend fixing whatever problem is arising, and the less has to be known of the whole ordeal."

Illysa paused for a moment before sighing, waving for her to sit. "I see your point, Madam. Thank you for your input."

Amelia, satisfied, sat down. Illysa, shoulders slumped, her posture slightly off, looked at the table of now anxious officers and cadets. "Gentlemen, ladies, in order to avoid a war that would be disastrous for both parties, Proceyon has agreed to sign a peace treaty with the Terran Empire."

There were some light cheers, but most remained silent. It was common that things like this never worked out like they should. Illysa cleared her throat. "But," she said, quieting the crowd, "we have just entered a entirely different war."

"Oh bloody-"

"Fuck cheese." Said Aurora, who so kindly improperly finished Amelia's sentence. Illysa slowly blinked while looking at her. "I do suppose that is an...appropriate statement?" She glanced to Amelia, who nodded slightly. Anything Aurora said was appropriate, unless you wanted to get punched in the face.

"Well then...as I was saying, we've gone to war. Again. But this time it is much...much different."

She looked tired as she continued, walking to a chart that was rolled in, which showed the Terran Empire and all of the planets and islands under its reign. Amelia noted the red X's beside or over islands.

"Unlike before, we do not know our enemy. We have no idea who is attempting to take over. They drive ships we have dubbed "Iron Clads". They are completely made of iron. Swift, maneuverable, and heavily armed. We haven't been able to capture one, let alone beat one. They have either been completely destroying colonies or severely injured. This is what they look like."

A servant came over and rolled down a large picture of a ship that had no deck, with a tank-like middle connecting two sides of an all metal war machine, mounted with three different powerful solar cannons, and several other normal and laser cannons on the sides. Light chatter began and ended quickly as it begun.

"As you can see, they are remarkable. Well armed, and the steel of their bodies is practically invincible. We are aware some of you have not had contact or even heard of these mysterious cretan. All we advise when you see one is run...run as fast and as far as you possibly can. If you possess a quick little boat or perhaps a war hammer, call in reinforcements. We hope with a big enough armada we can take and capture one of these blasted machines." She sighed. Jeffery stood.

"Your Highness, my ships have run into these lily livered bastards, and we have our suspicions that it might be the Procyeons, and that perhaps the signing of this treaty is a way of distracting our military units from the source of the problem so they may fuck us over."

"I'd prefer more proffesional language, Mister Arrow." Illysa warned before sighing and nodding. "It might be, but we have to try something." She turned to Amelia, who felt an atrocious unease working itself up from the pit of her stomach. "Madam, you will ship out with your fleet by June. Until then you will be training cadets for the trials of war, understood?"

Amelia swallowed, knowing she could not refuse. "Yes, Your Majesty."

* * *

Each step echoed in Amelia's head, feeling like the blow of a bullet racketing through her cranium. Why her? Why now? She felt like throwing up. She couldn't. She wouldn't. But she had to. They all had to, for the sake of the Empire.

She opened the grand doors of the Doppler mansion, hanging up her coat and hat, the very action feeling weighted by all the sorrow to come. In toddled Matey, her bright auburn hair in a mess around her face, paint on her chubby little hands. Amelia refrained from crying, putting on a tight smile.

"Mama!" She yelled happily, hugging her leg. Amelia swooped her up and threw her in the air, her squeals of joy the only thing keeping her fake smile from faltering. "How's my Matey, eh?"

"Good!" Matey smiled and then began to babble in her own little 2 year old language. Amelia pretended to listen while her thoughts were still clouded with the impending doom upon her and her family. Everyone she loved...she could loose it all again. She padded to Delbert's observatory, where the rest of her children where finger painting on a mass of paper in the corner of the room-and on the curtains as well, it seemed. Amelia set Matey down with her siblings, getting hugs and sloppy kisses from all of them, and then went over to Delbert, who seemed totally absorbed in his work with the telescope.

"Delbert?"

He perked his ears and adjusted the focus of the telescope. "Hello darling. How was the meeting?"

"I...Delbert we need to talk."

Delbert stopped for a moment, glancing at her, then back to the telescope. "I...Is it urgent?"

She sighed. "Oh bloody hell, continue with your work. I'll talk with you later." Not giving him room to say a thing, she went to their bedroom.

She removed her clothing and took a shower, then sat on the bed and stared at the floor. It wasn't long before she heard the maid, Edna, calling out that dinner was ready. Between their sometimes haywire schedules, the overly large mansion, and raising the children, they'd had to get some help. She slowly wandered down, sitting at the table that had a lovely dinner of pasta and salad, which she thanked Edna for. Edna only nodded and left to eat her own dinner. Amelia went about the routine: Eat, talk a bit with Delbert, eat, clean up one of the children's faces, eat, clean up a spill, and repeat until dinner was over. Then she picked up two of the stuffed toddlers and carried them up to the room they all shared, Delbert taking the other two. Though it was her turn, Amelia couldn't summon the voice for a fabulous story of space pirates being defeated by a rather dashing captain, or even read a storybook. Tonight she left that to Delbert, who did his best to hide the uncertain curiosity he was harboring as he flipped to the next page of Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes.

At the end of the Three Little Pigs, the children were dead asleep. Amelia put her two in bed and then just went upstairs, pursued by a worried Delbert. Once in their bedroom, Amelia stripped butt naked and got in bed. Delbert got in his pajamas, used to his wife's preference to sleep naked in the dead of winter. Why? He never had figured it out. He got in next to her and put his arm around her waist, turning her towards him and pulling her close.

"Amelia, what the hell happened?" He asked. Amelia read the worry on his face and sighed. "Delbert...we've gone to war."

* * *

Everything not copyrighted to Disney is mine and no one has permission to use it in any other way, shape, or form.


	2. Chapter 2

Forgot to say Jeffery Arrow belongs to my friend , and is used with permission.

Thank you all for the AMAZING reviews, and as with the first AAAE, I stress them immensely.

Anything not copyrighted to Disney is mine and I give no permission for it to be used by anyone in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

Delbert felt his throat tighten as he brought Amelia closer to him, kissing her neck and then burying his face, playing with her hair she'd let grow out the past couple of years. It grew remarkably fast. It was now past her butt, a bit gorgeous red mass she left down purely for Delbert's entertainment unless going to work. It was also used so he could practice braids for the un-avoidable future of putting up little girl's hair. Either way, as he ran his fingers through the long tresses, the dread spread throughout his body, licking up every little bit of hope he had. He'd dealt with many a war in his time, having to assist in battle strategies and the prediction of any sort of supernova, solar storm, or other natural disaster that could be used to their advantage. Thinking back, he was surprised he'd never worked with Amelia, considering her revolutionary military achievements.

"W-What's going to...are you..."

"I'll be s-shipping out in...in a few months." She swallowed, taking a shuddering breath, her lips trembling by his ear. "I-I start training ca-cadets...tomorrow. I'll..." She let out a whimper, going limp in Delbert's arms, resigning. This made Delbert whimper himself and lick her cheek and nuzzle her. She'd only been like this one other time, and that was due to the near death of Clara because of a bombing. This terror inside Amelia seemed to radiate off her and attach itself to Delbert, making him feel ill.

"I'll be s-staying at the a-academy. N-no negotiations."

Delbert nodded, slowly running his hand down her back, fingers through her hair, relishing the cool, silky feeling as his hand performed this action.

"I c-can't visit on the w-weekends..."

He only nodded, stopping at the tips of her hair, twirling around his fingers the beautiful strings. Looking at them in the moonlight, at her, with her sad eyes and frown that went against the flow of soft laugh lines on her face, he felt his heart sink into the deepest depths of uncertainty and consternation.

Bad things were going to happen as time progressed.

* * *

"You get those bloody scissors away from my hair or, I swear upon my mother's life, I will smite you." Amelia snarled at the stylist who stood next to Dean Richard Hopkins, an aged Army veteran who'd been in his position since Amelia was a student.

"Please, Madam, you know it's protocol as well as I."

"Yeah well I don't give a rats arse about protocol, and you know that." She growled. "I have yet to ship out and I do not plan to even consider chopping off my hair until then."

"You always were a hair-greyer." Hopkins sighed, shaking his head and motioning for the stylist to leave, who did so quickly. "Fine, have your way, Madam. But you do know you must-"

"Keep it up. I know. Bugger off, Hopkins. I don't plan on flaunting my femininity long as I'm in the arms length of immature teenage boys who seem to have a death wish."

"What of the girls?"

"They're not off their rockers."

"Ah, I forgot women get crazier as they age."

He dodged the whack aimed at him and trotted off, leaving a very perturbed Amelia to go out to her ship, the RLS Lyonesse. She owned two ships, the Legacy and this one. Out of them both, she preferred the Lyonesse. It was better armed, swifter despite its size, and had an outrageous amount of storage space. Currently, since the Legacy was now more of a personal transport ship, this was the ship she would be using as she gave cadets lessons in the field, which would include simulated rescue missions, target practice, and actually helping out the townsfolk of the nearby islands, whether it be with fishing or trade. There was always a skill that needed learning when one was preparing for war.

Upon reaching the deck of the ship, where Amelia started tying up her mass of hair, she was approached by a very familiar face.

"Why, hello Clara." She smiled slightly. Clara smiled back, extending the metal contraption she now called an arm to Amelia, who shook it, indifferent. Only months after the babies had been born, Clara had been in a terrible, terrible accident while abroad, building houses for refugees of a famine. Some bastard had planted a bomb, and Clara had suffered.

Unfortunately, she was the luckiest out of the group of volunteers.

"Life treating you well, I trust?" Amelia questioned.

"Quite well, Auntie..." The young woman, her mechanical hand hidden by her long sleeves as she walked, scratched her head with her good arm. "Haven't you wondered why I came here?"

"Well, I assumed it was for one of your unannounced and sometimes un-appropriately timed hello's, but now I'm guessing otherwise." Amelia glanced at her and turned to a crew member, speaking with him on some specifics of the ship, finding out her First Mate was to be a man by the name of Clement Clarkson.

"I came to tell you I'm getting married." She said, getting straight to the point in her usual Clara fashion. Amelia whirled around, staring. "Fredrick proposed?!"

She grinned. "No, I did."

Amelia paused before letting out a hardy laugh and grabbing Clara in a hug, ignoring the looks she got for her un-professionalism. She pulled back, beaming. "That's just bloody brilliant."

"Mhm, and-and so is _that."_ Clara's eyes glinted while she looked over Amelia's shoulder. Amelia blinked and turned around in confusion, her eyes landing on what, she agreed, was bloody brilliant.

He appeared to be in his late thirties, tall. Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. Slightly curly raven feather hair tied back in a short ponytail with a few strands of hair in his face, helping to emphasize his captivating green eyes. The stubble on his chin helped with the rest of the image, as did the six pack abs that could be seen through the shirt under his opened uniform jacket. He flicked his tail and perked his Felinid ears before walking straight towards Amelia.

Amelia looked up at him when he stopped a mear foot from her. "Hello, are you Madam Amelia?" He asked, his voice a rolling baratone that reminded Amelia of crashing ocean waves, sending a chill down her spine.

"Y-Yes." She stammered, cursing herself inwardly. Damn attractive men and their ability to make her, like an woman, all too distracted.

He smiled and chuckled lightly, the sound remnant of a pleasant thunder. "As on edge as I am, Madam?" He shook her hand as she coughed awkwardly. "Um, yes, I do suppose so. Things like this never end well."

"Training?"

"War."

"Oh, yeah." He looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry I'm, uh I'm Clement Clarkson."

"Madam Amelia Doppler." She nodded to him. "I'm going to be honest, I haven't the chance to read over your credentials before coming onto the ship. Though, judging by your slightly timid walk and lack of appropriate conduct when it comes to your attire," she gestured to his open shirt, which he quickly buttoned up. It hugged his abs more than the undershirt. "I'm guessing this is your first time in this particular position of authority."

He slowly nodded, whistling slightly. "You sure are smart. I...was appointed the position by Queen Illysa. She said she knew you were picky and thought...uh...that I'd, to quote, "fit your requirements physically and mentally""

_Oh you definitely fit them physically..._

Amelia nodded a bit. "Well I'll trust her judgment until further notice. For now, you'll be in the room on the left of my stateroom. The door is behind the bookcase, just slide it open."

Clement just nodded and slowly made his way to where he needed to be, looking around at things. Amelia admired his toned hindquarters until she realized she was in public and married.

"I would do _so _many things to that man." Clara whispered. Amelia would normally scold her, but she was thinking the exact same thing.

At that point Clara said she must leave, as she was late to an appointment. Amelia bid her farewell and then continued with her duties, talking to the sparse crew on her ship-only enough to operate it for training exercises- and then commanding lift off for the first exercise that was to begin shortly, about a thousand yards from the docks of the Interstellar Academy. They were soon met by the sloops with the students in them, who all looked frightened and naïve. With a sigh, Amelia stepped onto the railing of the ship and cupped her hands around her mouth, a rather unnecessary action considering her voice was already ungodlily loud.

"Cadets, today is the day you go from boys and girls to men and women! You are training for one of the most dangerous wars our great empire has ever been in! Over the next few months, you will learn skills that most spacers take years to acquire, skills myself and many of the officers on this ship wish we had when we were your age, so you better feel pretty damn privileged! I hope that you all do learn these skills within the amount of time we have to teach them, because, when you're out on the battlefield, or stranded in the middle of nowhere, you've only got yourself, your skills, and the mercy of God. Ships in Triangle formation, we will simply practice accelerated navigation today."

And she stepped off the railing, satisfied with the looks of terror and near tears some of the cadets were in. She waved her hand to the helmsman and started patrolling the ship out of habit. She heard clopping steps and then looked to her side to find Clement. Or rather, his abs. Ah, she loved tall military men.

"Madam, great speech but, I must ask, wasn't it a bit...well...harsh?"

He held himself as if he had confidence, but the pauses in his sentences revealed his still hesitance. Amelia nodded. "It was quite harsh, but it could have been harsher, and it does give them the appropriate wake up call."

"...Wake up call, ma'am?"

Amelia stopped and looked to Clement, who blew a strand of hair from his eyes. "Have you ever been to war before, Mister Clarkson?"

Clement nodded. "I was in the Kattindog Quasar War, ma'am. Earned a purple heart."

"Ah. That's where I earned my Green Badge of Honor." She nodded once and continued walking, Clement following. "With such an achievement, I'm sure you're aware war isn't all about glory, facing your fears, and saving your empire, eh?"

"...What is it about, ma'am?"

Amelia sighed. "Survival. If you don't keep your damn head on your shoulders, then you can't do a damn thing for anyone. You're not there to come home a hero, you're there so everyone on the home front can keep their lives and livlihoods and never have to see the horrors. The seas of dead bodies and the chunks of your comrades spewed about by a mine or grenade. The amputations. The loss of hearing, sight, smell, taste from chemical explosions and the knowledge that wherever you go, whatever you do, you are never safe, and that, before anything else, you're just trying to keep your own ass above water long enough to shoot the bastard aiming at you from round the bend. That's what war is: survival of the fittest and smartest. The stupid get knocked off first, then the scrawny ones, and then those who prevail earn the title of survivor, not hero, survivor. No one is a hero, just a person who does something right, and they need to learn that. You understand, Mister Clarkson?"

Clement stared at Amelia with wide eyes, an enlightened air about him, and nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good." She turned to him when they reached the bow of the ship. "To get you used to things around here, shout the commands to the cadets for me."

"Why?"

"Because I said so, wanker."

"...Yes ma'am."

And he left, leaving Amelia to turn and stare out at the sky, a very action that would save all their lives.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey all, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm sorry to say that school is a real bitch and that updates will be slower-more than likely only on the weekend. More frequent during holidays, but otherwise slow. I hope you all keep reading, and as always I stress reviews! I'm just being honest is that they motivate me more than anything. I get good hardcore feedback from y'all when you review, and it makes me more motivated to write and get it done. I do take suggestions if anyone has them, which you can comment or PM to me, it would be lovely.

But, enough of my jabbering, here is the story!

Anything not copyrighted to Disney is mine and Y'ALL BETTER NOT USE THIS SHAT FOR NOTHIN'.

* * *

"IRON CLAD!" Amelia hollered, running to the helm and shoving the helmsman aside. "EVADE FIRE! ENCIRCLE THE ENEMY, USE ALL FORMS OF AMMUNITION!" She jerked the helm to the side, making the Lyonesse take a dangerously sharp turn, and headed due north west. She handed the helm back to the helmsman and instructed him to keep out of firing rang of the Iron Clad and jumped to the stern of the ship, hollering formation instructions at the student ships.

"THIS IS NO LONGER A TRAINING EXERCISE, GENTS! THIS IS A FIGHT FOR YOURS LIVES, ACT SMARTLY!"

* * *

Jim was among the terrified students operating ships when the Iron Clad showed up. He was one of the few to remain mostly composed. The only one who seemed indifferent was Onyx Arrow, his best friend in the world. He's was also his first mate.

"IRON CLAD!" Shouted Onyx.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Jim snapped before yelling out a series of shaky orders, demanding the crew to direct their sloop out of firing rang of the Iron Clad cannons. The crew scrambled about to follow orders, quickly getting the ship in the correct direction. Onyx surveyed and corrected the crew when they made a mistake, looking to Jim when they got into shooting rang.

"Fire, Captain?"

"Fire, Mister Onyx." Jim said, still unable to address Onyx as "Mister Arrow", for obvious reasons. Onyx nodded and delivered the command, their small guns and cannons attacking the Iron Clad, which cut through the Etherium at an alarming space, their fire ricocheting into oblivion.

"Jim, this is bad." Hissed Onyx, letting the fear in his voice show to his already panicky friend.

"Yeah, but w-we can't refuse Amelia's order's." Jim whispered, wincing when the Iron Clad managed to get a shot into the hull of the Lyonesse.

"We're all going to get killed if we don't pull back soon-GUNNERS, RELEASE FIRE, DOUBLE TIME!"

The gunners saluted Onyx while aiming with steady hands, the rest of their bodies trembling leaves in a fall wind. "I know." Jim sighed. "But Amelia is smart, she'll pull back if-"

"PULL BACK, RETREAT! REINFORCEMENTS ARE NOT COMING, I REPEAT, REINFORCEMENTS ARE NOT COMING! FLEE!"

That was Clement, who looked more than frantic.

"Ah, there it is." Jim turned to the crew, cupping his hands around his mouth. "GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!"

"AYE, AYE, CAPTAIN!" Shouted the helmsman, who frantically wheeled the ship around as a cannon scathed their side.

"OI, WATCH IT YOU BLOODY GIT!" Snarled a incongruous female rigger as she unfurled a sail, dropping to the ground next to him after completing the task, smacking him upside the head. She whipped around and glared at Onyx and Jim like it was their faults, and then shoved them both to the side with surprising strength on her way back to the rigging, her wide hips swinging with the movement of her silky black tail.

"Damn." Jim mumbled, "she's scary. Who is she?"

Onyx went over the students he knew in his head and glanced back. "Minerva Hawthorne."

"What's her majors?" Jim paced around the ship, glancing back at the Iron Clad, which had veered to the right. It was heading towards a nebula. The Lagoon Nebula, to be exact. Jim couldn't fathom why they would, considering nebulas were incredibly thick and screwed with a ship's engine to the point you'd need to either higher a very high-priced mechanic or just buy a new damned engine.

"I don't know, ask her lover boy." Onyx rolled his eyes. Jim brushed his bangs back. "Yeah right. She's not my type."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. She's...a Felinid."

"Why you racist bastard." Joked Onyx, seeming completely calm now. Jim felt himself relax the farther they got from the Iron Clad, listening to the orders to dock back at the academy coming from the Lyonesse. "I just don't really care for my significant other to have a tail."

"Uh huh." Onyx snorted as they stood at the bow of the sloop. Jim glanced at him. "What, you like her?"

Onyx seemed a bit taken aback. He was generally reserved, only loosening around friends and family-or if he felt like being a smart-ass. Though he was known to have gone out with some of the higher-class ladies of the Interstellar Academy and other schools, he never truly seemed to show a vast interest in any of them.

"No, I do not." He said, his poised manner coming back as he relaxed, his hands behind his back. "I just don't necessarily have a type."

"Ah."

"Do you?"

"A nice blonde with long legs." Jim said, smirking at the almost offended look that arose on the gentlemanly Onyx's face.

"You best be joking."

"Oh, don't worry, I am." Jim smirked as they stepped back onto the grounds of Interstellar Academy. "Ya' prude."

"Ha. Ha." Onyx whacked Jim's shoulder, nearly sending him to the ground. Onyx was tall, even for his species. Cragorian men averaged 7-7'1ft. He was 7'3, and still had time to grow. And he worked out. The gooey centered giant was intimidating in the mildest of terms. They and the rest of the students, in their mock uniforms associated to the ranks they were given depending on either their grades or majors, lined up on the grass. Amelia approached, composed, cool, and unreadable. She stood before them with her head held high.

"Good try, gents. I'm surprised none of you died. Though, I do like a good surprise now and then. A war hammer is being sent out to locate and possibly capture the Iron Clad. Until then you all are free to roam for the rest of the day. We will begin our exercises at six hundred hours, sharp. Dismissed."

And they left like nothing had ever happened. Jim and Onyx took off their mock Captain and First Mate uniforms in their dorm, Jim lazily tossing his to the foot of his bed, Onyx folding his and putting it on top of his dresser.

"I've never been so scared in my life." Jim admitted after quiet had settled over them like a blanket. Onyx nodded from his desk, where he was sketching with his quill. A plant, Jim figured. The boy was fascinated with them-especially flowers. "Nor have I." Onyx agreed.

"And that's just a glimpse of things." Jim sighed.

"Aye."

"We could die out there..."

"Aye."

"Either of us could get a bullet in the head, or captured...we could be tortured."

"Yep."

"Quit being so god-damned calm Onyx Arrow."

"Is it someone's time of the month again?" Onyx nearly sneered. Jim just crossed his arms over his chest and glared at him. Onyx went back to his sketching. "I don't fret over things I cannot change, Jim."

"But we _can _change this. We are being sent out into war _to _change it!"

"Tis not the war that makes the man, but the man that makes the war." Said Onyx poetically, not shifting. "We are making the war what it is. War. If we don't fight, it's not war."

"If we don't fight, we get killed by whatever the hell is out there taking out islands!" Jim was becoming rather heated now, having gotten up and let down his hair. He let it grow out into a shoulder length ponytail over the years, so he didn't have to wear a wig if he got a higher-up position on a ship when out of the Academy. It was protocol for men to have a ponytail. Why? No one really knew, but they assumed it was to make the Navy's sailor's look a bit more classy.

"I think it's just the Procyons. They're ahead of us technologically. By a landslide, actually. The only reason we keep beating them is with our tactical maneuvers and brawn."

"And they seemed to take one from us in this case..._if _it's them."

"What do you mean "if it's them"?" Onyx raised one eyebrow curiously. Jim flopped back into bed, flouncing his hair and stretching, holding his arms behind his head. "It could be anyone, really. No one has seen inside the ship. Besides, though they're pretty fast like most the Proc ships, they're bulky and made of Iron, not lithewood. It just don't seem Proc to me."

"You've got a point. Dad mentioned it seemed a bit of a...unorthodox design for them."

"What your mom say?"

"She agreed."

"Shit."

Onyx's mother was a woman who specialized in ship design of all planets and kingdoms in the Eitherium. She knew all the traits of the ships of each culture like the back of her hand. She also had an unhealthy obsession with cannoli that showed in the size of her hips. This obsession seemed to be hereditary. If you ever wanted Onyx to forgive you, get him a bag of cannoli from the market.

"That's accurate." Onyx nodded. "Honestly it's just something we'll have to wait and see what develops when we capture one."

"_If _we capture one."

"Quit being such a Negative Nancy."

Jim huffed. "Quit being such a...such a...Onyx!"

"Dude, lamest comeback. Ever."

Onyx laughed as Jim grumpily turned over in his bed, cursing himself. Things were quiet after that. The rhythmic scratching of Onyx's pen mixed with the beat of the drippy bathroom faucet created a simple melody that was actually rather calming. Jim stared at the wall, which had several different sketches, both machines and people. He had at least one of every friend or family member he could think of, and a dozen more of random passerby and then even more of engines and sails and machines in general. His eyes wandered over them, stopping on a sketch he'd done of Amelia-upon her request, actually. Though he didn't seem it, Jim was rather talented when it came to sketching. He figured it came from years of watching Delbert sketch out his maps and other such things in his observatory. His was only a copy, while Amelia had the original. It was of her sitting, smiling at him, holding little Sunny in her arms when he was maybe six months. The little pup was staring with his head cocked to the side curiously as Amelia held him close to her chest, her elegant fingers wrapping around his little shoulder. Jim had enjoyed drawing that picture. It was something he held a lot of pride in, especially with the knowledge it had a firm place in the living room where company could see it.

His eyes wandered from this sketch to an equally amazing one of Queen Illysa. It was a drawing of a picture that had been in the paper the day after her coronation, featuring the young, stone faced ruler in a chair, adored with several jewels as a man beside her printed on the royal tattoos to her arms, a symbol of her rule. The ink was incredibly rare, not loosing its color even after years of wear. He wondered if she would keep as stone faced as she was on that day as they continued in their quest to rid the Terran Empire of the dangers both the Procyons and the Iron Clads posed...

There was a knock at the door. "Come in." Onyx said, turning to face the door. In walked a Royal Messenger, standing tall in his lavender suit and white pants. He looked at the two with slightly disapproving eyes, the golden tattoos that curled around his lips giving the human a peculiar eeriness.

"The Queen requests your presence in her chamber." He said. Jim shot up, staring. Such an invitation was an honor reserved for the Fleet Admiral and generals of the Army and Coast Guard. Cadets in the Queen's chamber was unheard of.

That might explain the messenger's look of distaste.

"T-The Queen r-"

"Yes, yes, it's a huge honor, surprise, whatever." He waved away Jim's words, a snobbish air collecting about him. "Put on your best and meet me outside. There is a carriage waiting to take you to the palace."

He then left, closing the door behind him while snorting, muttering something that sounded like "neophytes". The two young men just looked at each other before quickly dressing into their best dress uniforms and hurrying out to the carriage, which was indeed waiting for them. They got in, the messenger sitting next to Onyx, seeming to crinkle his nose at Jim. Jim didn't know how to react other than to stay silent and stare out the window as the high tech carriage lifted up into the air, the jets propelling it forward as the driver controlled the rudder and the sails flapped on the sides. He wondered a bit fearfully why they were being called to the chambers of one of the most powerful and fear-striking people in the entire galaxy.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your reviews! You all make me laugh and smile. :3 Please continue, and I hope you enjoy this! I promise more...events in the next chapter. Maybe a little illusion of a sort. ;p

Anything not copyrighted to Disney is mine or my friend 's and I give no permission for it to be used in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

When in her own environment, a space she created herself and kept herself, Queen Illysa was not the stoic, intimidating woman she seemed to be. She was a scholar, going against the tide of previous, air headed woman rulers like her mother did. Her walls were all bookshelves, each with one category of books: history, navigation, astronomy and astrophysics, languages. The list was as long as the great queen's hair, which, as she sat on the ornately carved chair at her matching desk, reached the floor. Before her stood Jim Hawkins, Onyx Arrow, and Admiral Amelia Doppler.

Amelia had been called first, and was the only one who had a remote idea what the hell this woman had in mind. At the door stood one of the palace guards. Like all people who worked at the palace, he had the tattoos from the rare golden ink on his body. For him, they dipped under his eyes and entwined about his wrists, ending in a wiggly line. There was no set pattern for the tattoos; they were each different, each done as the tattoo artist saw fit. The only ones that were custom were Illysa's, and even those were unorthodox. Unlike rulers before her, who had them all along their arms and then peeking from their face, going from the forehead and around the hairline, Illysa had demanded the face tattoos be scratched, having them put along her collar bone and then dip dangerously low to her breasts.

The young beauty adjusted her simple-for-royalty gown and looked at the three people before her.

"I'm glad to see you were able to attend, Mister Hawkins, Mister Arrow." She nodded to each. The nervously nodded back. Amelia chuckled lightly, relaxed.

"Calm yourself, boys. She doesn't bite."

They both looked at her, un changing. Amelia rolled her eyes, turning to Illysa. "Do you wish for me to get rid of the guard?"

"Yes, please." Illysa nodded. Amelia went over to the guard and shooed him out, closing the door and locking it behind him. At this moment Illysa let go of her undeviating posture and leaned back against her desk casually, looking like a commoner-almost.

"Thank God. I hate those prying eyes." She shook her head. "If my father knew I let my posture fault for a single moment he'd have a coronary."

Amelia smiled a bit, leaning against the wall, relaxing at the familiar feeling of the soft wallpaper against her fingertips. It was just like the wallpaper in the children's nursery...

"Now, Mister Hawkins, Mister Arrow, lets get a few things straight." Illysa leaned forward, hands in her lap, looking at them both in the eye. The sharp knives that habited her sockets were glinting with some sort of emotion Amelia couldn't distinguish.

"When I have invited someone to my chambers, all formalities are stripped. I am not aware of your names, and I request them now."

"J-James..." Jim stammered, looking like a nervous puppy. Amelia smiled a bit. He was too scared to say Jim.

"Onyx." Said Onyx, easily keeping his composure. Amelia had always found his ability to remain stone faced interesting. Inside she knew he was as nervous as poor Jim.

"You're...you're named after a stone, and you're a Cragorian? A rock named after a rock?" Illysa quirked an eyebrow, crossing her legs.

"Yes ma'am...my parents aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed."

"Mhm. So that's why your father is in politics."

Onyx smirked. "I think that's why most people are in politics. Using false images to substitute for lack brain cells."

Amelia saw the mischievous look in Illysa's eye as she leaned back, taking a document from the table of her desk. "I'm in politics. Are you saying I'm an idiot, Onyx?"

Onyx blinked. "Um, no ma'am."

"Oh, but you said people in politics use false images to substitute for lack of brain cells, and I am in politics, and I use a false image to reassure my people. Doesn't that make me a person who lacks in brain cells? Or does that just make you an idiot who makes things up to try and sound smart, when really he has even lesser brain cells than the politician he's poking fun at?"

Onyx held up a finger like he was about to make a point, but stopped, and lowered his hand, setting his jaw. Amelia tried not to laugh as she grinned. She'd never seen someone one up Onyx. And, from what she heard from Jeffery, it was a rare occurrence at any rate. The Queen grinned...until Onyx did too.

"Ma'am, your the one who first commented that my father was in politics after I commented on him being an idiot. So, in all technicalities, you called yourself an idiot, and I just won this argument."

Her cheek twitched. She narrowed her eyes and drummed her fingers on the table, staring at Onyx for an uncomfortably long time.

"You're a clever man, Onyx." She nodded slightly to him before addressing him and Jim again. "Moving on from our, um, distraction. From now on, when we are in our own company, I will refer to you by first name, and you will refer to me by first name. No questions. No arguments. Nothing. Understood?"

The two slowly nodded.

"Good. Otherwise, anything said in this room does not leave this room. It is soundproof long as that door is closed, so don't be afraid to scream for any and all reasons. Also, here, we are equals. You speak to me how you would to any other civilian, I speak to you however the hell I wish. Understood?"

They both nodded again. Illysa nodded back. "Good. Any questions?"

"Yeah, why aren't you a snob?" Jim asked bluntly. Amelia honestly expected Illysa to at least look a little ticked. All she did, though, was gesture to Amelia.

"Though this lovely woman didn't spend much time with my father, she did spent plenty with my mother due to her and Samuel Arrow's friendship."

"I got to babysit." Amelia twirled her finger in a whoopty-freakin'-doo fashion.

"Mhm. She gave me cookies." Illysa grinned. Jim looked at Amelia. "You never gave me cookies."

"You were never a chubby-cheeked five year old in the time I was present."

"I was a baby faced 15 year old."

"Not baby faced enough."

Jim snapped his fingers. Onyx grinned. "She gave me cookies too."

"Damn you, Onyx."

Amelia chuckled before clearing her throat. "Ahem, anyhow. We do have business to attend to. Illysa, if you please."

"Yes, yes, right. I called you both here by recommendation of Amelia. I want you two to head a patrol around the islands and the colonies on them within a, oh, 300 or so mile radius."

Both cadets jaws dropped. "Why?"

"The Iron Clads are attacking the colonies, and now I believe I know why. They're going after iron and steel and other metals. If there is a well-thought-out patrol going about, I think we can help warn the colonies so they can keep a look out and hide appropriately, or possibly so we may capture one of the Cretans. Either way, we've needed a patrol for awhile, and no time like the present."

"But, ma-"

"Illysa."

"Illysa...why us? W-We're not even graduated!" Jim gestured to himself and Onyx.

"Because Amelia recommended you, is why." Illysa shrugged a bit. "I trust her judgment. Should you fail to be satisfactory, then I'll remove you as heads of the patrol and you'll join the war or I'll have you put on as some sort of commanding officers on some ship. Though, I'm just as likely to gift you your own ship. Amelia has told me you work well as a team."

"Heh...guess so." Jim nodded a bit, still looking nervous. Onyx had plastered his face again and looked to Illysa. "We'll take the job."

"We will?!" Jim jumped, looking at him in alarm. Amelia went over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Onyx is much like his uncle, James, he knows both your limits." She glanced at the young man. "You'll do fine."

Jim looked between the two, seeming to think. Amelia sensed Illysa getting restless and flicked her ears, taking a step back and tapping her shoulder. It was just her way of telling her to be patient while he thought. And he thought. For a long time. Nearly an hour. Finally, Jim looked at them and nodded.

"We'll do it."

Illysa smiled and jumped up, shaking Jim's hand as if he were a friend. The look on his face said he was surprised, and the blush on his cheeks made Amelia grin.

This was going to be an interesting development.


	5. Chapter 5

He sipped his coffee, looking out the window. Beside the door stood a member of the Royal Escort sent to bring him and his crew to the palace. It was infuriating. He was never alone unless in his chamber; and even then he suspected they had some peculiar method of watching him. Damn Imperials. They were getting smarter and smarter every year. He never disclosed it to anyone but his wife, but he feared that one day they might catch up with Procyon's technology, which, for so many years, had been their upper hand against the Terran's insufferable brawn.

He glanced at the brute watching his door and then back out his window, then to the communicator built into his desk. He ran his hand along the eggshell top before flipping it open, staring at the golden inside, black Procyon script staring back at him. He smiled, glancing again at the guard, who was staring like an owl at a particularly entrancing piece of navigational equipment. Perfect. He leaned forward, pressing one of the buttons. A man appeared on the screen moments later, a red bandana tied around his short cropped brown hair.

"Your orders?" He typed on his keyboard, the words appearing on the screen. His lips curled in grotesque satisfaction as he typed in the coordinates.

* * *

"Come in." Amelia mumbled, scratching her head as she addressed the paperwork before her. Clement walked in, holding two steaming lattoids.

"Mister Hawkins recommended I bring you something to drink, less you uh, "flip a bitch"." He said rather lightheartedly, putting the mug on the small desk that felt as cramped as the student dorm Amelia had been confined too.

"Ah. He's always very considerate. Thank you." She nodded to him, giving him a slight smile. It'd only been a few weeks since she met Clement and, aside from his looks, he was a remarkable first mate.

"You're welcome." He smiled and turned to leave.

"Oh must you?" She lifted the lattoid to her lips. Clement turned around, raising an eyebrow at her. "I'm not completely anti-social, Mister Clarkson." She smiled a bit. He returned it. "Neither am I, Madam." He took a seat on a chair that was beside her desk, sipping his lattoid. He looked at her paperwork and frowned.

"That looks painful."

"It is." She sighed, rubbing her face, realizing she hadn't put on her damned reading glasses. She put them on at that moment, looking back at the paperwork and slowly writing on it as she spoke. "The higher up you get, the more blood you have to give."

"Dark." Clement raised his eyebrows. She gave him a soft smile. "I'm just tired."

"We all are, Madam." He nodded. "I haven't slept in three days."

"Three days?!" Amelia put down her paperwork. "Why the hell not?"

Clement looked startled. "Stress, ma'am. I'm...well I'm worrying about this bloody war."

"How old are you again, Mister Clarkson?"

"38, ma'am."

"Oh, well surely you'd been through it before. Insomnia is commonplace for a first timer, but for someone the same age as me-"

"I haven't been in the military service that long, ma'am." He interrupted, leaning back. "At least, compared to you. I only just joined ten or more years ago."

"...Oh." Amelia felt rather sheepish. She should have spent her time staring at more than his face when looking at his profile. "Your credentials alluded me to believe you were many more years into your service."

He looked at her, and smirked. "It says my years of service right under my picture, ma'am. In big bold print."

"Ah, must have, heh, missed that." She cleared her throat and went back to her paperwork. Clement chuckled. "You can be very amusing, ma'am."

"Well..." Amelia tried to think of some sort of witty comeback. For once, she was at a lost. She turned to him. "Damn you."

He grinned. "Thanks. You're so kind."

She growled and drank from her mug, the warm liquid soothing her. "Oh, nevermind. Why'd you join?"

"The military? To support my family."

Damn. They're always married. Amelia felt like smacking herself when she remembered that she, too, was married. Not an option. Stop Amelia. Bad girl. "Ah, so your married?" She smiled. Clement frowned a bit. "I was, ma'am."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Heh, yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck. "She died in...our, well our home...caught on fire. We were living in one of the quarry towns and...someone lit a match and...woosh. Flames. Everywhere. The whole town was taken out. Just ash and bones..."

Amelia felt her heart ache, imagining such devistation coming upon her own family while reaching over and somewhat awkwardly placing a hand on his, which rested on her desk. He blinked as she squeezed it in a comforting manner and then pulled back. "I'm truly sorry...Clement."

* * *

Jim, now decorated respectably as a Lieutenant, operated a sloop, named _The RLS Superior_. It certainly made him feel superior, though he never let any of this be known. He and Onyx were a team. In ranks, Jim was one above Onyx, but as operators of the patrol, they were equals. Actually, Jim considered calm and collected Onyx above him in several ways. He truly was like his uncle. Though, he never got to hang around him much, from what he heard. It was the third or so week they'd been operation, and so far their patrol had stopped a number of pirate raids, and saved countless citizens. Everyone who was a member were regarded highly. All had indigo sleeves and necks on their uniforms, along with a badge on each shoulder that said "Royal Navy Patrol".

Jim had just finished putting on his uniform that morning in his cabin on the ship when there was a terrifying banging on the door. "Uh, come in?" He looked over, slightly fearful. In barged Minerva, looking irate as she possibly could get.

"HAWKINS!"

Oh shit. That tone was eerily similar to his mother's when Jim had been caught sneaking in late at night. "Um, yes?"

She marched over, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him into a wall, baring her teeth, her purple eyes glinting dangerously. "IF YOU DON'T GET SOME GOD DAMN CONTROL OVER SOME OF THIS CREW, I'LL THROW YOU OFF THE SHIP AND TAKE OVER MYSELF!"

Jim clawed at the wall, eyes locked on the curved fingernails of doom Minerva had far too close to his windpipe. "W-what are you talking about?!"

She growled, pulling him back and slamming him on the wall again. "The pervs, you jackass! I swear on my mother's God-forsaken grave if one of them touches my ass again I'll do more than knock a few teeth outta their skull! You hear me Hawkins?!"

Jim relaxed a bit. "I-I ye-"

"Hawthorne!" Came Onyx's booming voice. Minerva jumped slightly and turned, glaring. "What do you want, pretty boy?"

He looked at her with distaste. "If you want things done around here, you're better off coming to me. Unlike James, I scare people."

Jim nodded, knowing this was all to true. Onyx's broad shoulders and quiet tendencies made him more than intimidating. Minerva rolled her eyes, tossing Jim to the side and waltzed over to Onyx, her hips swinging sassily. Jim smirked as he fixed his hair, knowing Onyx was resisting the urge to stare. She jabbed her finger in Onyx's chest.

"You better scare them, pretty boy. 'Cuz if you don't," she stood on her toes, her face very close to Onyx's, her words barely audible to Jim. "I'll make it where you won't get the chance." She then stepped back gracefully, doing a half turn on her heel and waltzing off, even more entrancing swing in her step as she exited the room and slammed the door behind her. Jim watched Onyx as he slowly blinked and took off his hat, fanning himself a moment as a deep blush rose upon his cheeks. Jim then laughed. "Ya dope you like her!"

"I-I d-do not." Onyx coughed, putting his hat back on.

"Then why ya fannin' yourself like an old woman in church?"

"Well, it's,uh, it's just hot in here, Jim."

"It's 63 deg-"

"Let's move on then." Onyx cleared his throat, giving Jim a look like 'drop it'. Jim shrugged, grinning, and walked out. A gunner ran up to Jim and saluted him.

"At ease, soldier."

The lad, who was actually in Jim's year, calmed. "Captain, we've received S.O.S rocket from the Lady J."

"How old is it?" Jim brought himself to his full height. "Approximately fifteen minutes, Captain."

"Alright then. Helmsman, set course to these coordinates." Jim handed the message to the helmsman, who glanced and nodded, reeling the ship to the side while saying "setting course". Jim sighed, surveying things. This was boring. By now most the cadets had shipped out, off on the adventures the war had to offer. Jim knew well that it wasn't all glory, but that didn't mean there wasn't some there. He wanted to prove himself. Yeah, he'd been called by the queen, but by now everyone had forgotten. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but he was hungry for some more recognition. He didn't want to be stuck as the person who headed the Royal Patrol along with Onyx. He wanted to be captain-Admiral, even. And this war was just his chance to prove himself. There was nothing interesting out here but the pirates that came by, and they were just run of the mill scavengers and miners. The wind blew his hair about as he walked to the bow, standing on the bowsprit to get a better view. From this viewpoint, he was the first beside the spotter to see the burning remnants of the Lady J, barely afloat in the Etherium.

And the pirates weren't done with her yet.

* * *

**It's late. I'm tired. Anything not Disney is mine and cannot be used in anything else. I love all the reviews, and I ask you all to leave them as often as you can. They really, really encourage me. :3**


	6. Chapter 6

Delbert sighed as he poured coffee into his mug, taking one of the commercial packets of creme from a container beside the coffee machine and dumping it in. He watched the powder as it seeped into its coffee, spreading in radical swirls before he even stirred it. The near ivory liquid was transformed into a mud brown when he mixed. He then added a good 3 cubes of sugar. He sipped it. Perfect.

But god-damn it he missed Amelia's horrible coffee.

He hadn't had a cup since her visit two weeks ago. She had had to skip the last weekend because the Queen insisted she run night training exercises. Now, by the looks of the letters and occasional communicator messages, she might not come this week, either. He sighed, the dull lull of the Royal Observatory's break-room a threat against his waning sanity. It wasn't like he'd already heard it every day, but before he had something that distracted him from it: Amelia. Amelia and the children. He's always see one or the other when he got home, and more often than not he'd see both. Now he just had the children...and he thanked God for that.

"Helllooo, Dopp-"

"Go away, Kelly." Delbert snapped, glaring. Kelly held up his hands in a "I surrender" position. "Whoa, whoa, calm down dog man. Just saying hello."

"I do not wish to speak with you." Delbert stood, looking down on Kelly. He turned on his heel, starting to walk away.

"Oh, now, wait, wait there Doppler." He jumped in front of Delbert, stopping him with a hand on his chest. He shoved him away lightly. "I have a question for you."

Delbert set his jaw, standing, staring. He might as well listen to the jackass's idiotic attempt at angering him.

"Why is it that when I ask for a connection to that little piece of eye candy you call a wife, you blow me off. But when she goes off to teach a bunch of navy brats how to aim, you don't care that she's banging her first mate?" He was smirking, looking like a common evil villain. Delbert narrowed his eyes, walking towards Kelly, who backed away with each step Delbert took. They walked across near all the lounge, attracting the attention of some of the occupants of the room. Delbert was always so mild, so seeing him cornering Kelly was all too amusing. Or terrifying. Delbert stopped when Kelly was pressed against the wall.

"Kelly, if you _ever_ speak of my wife as if she is a lying, cheating whore again, and I find out," he leaned closer to his face. Uncomfortably close for the both of them, but that was perfect to get his point across. "I will personally stab you in the heart and watch you die. Then you'll end up at the bottom of the ocean...and no one will care." His voice got a eerie whisper. "They'll be glad your pompous, annoying, ass is out of their lives. Your own mother will be glad the bastard of a child she brought into the world is gone."

The look on Kelly's face spoke volumes. Fear, anger, frustration. But most of all the fear. Fear that came when the mild mannered, temperate member of a group seemed to snap. Delbert hadn't snapped, though, oh no. He'd simply decided it was finally time to put an end to the madness.

"Understand?" He hissed. Kelly slowly nodded, swallowing. Delbert backed up, not moving his eyes from Kelly as he walked out of the room.

* * *

"FULL EMERGENCY POWER!" Shouted Jim.

"FULL EMERGENCY POWER!" Onyx echoed, running up the rigging and letting down the sails. Minerva was right next to him, glaring.

"That's my job." She growled, crouching on the cross-arm as the ship reeled to the side, nearly throwing Onyx off. He regained his balance and looked at her. "Well I got it done before you, and I had to climb the rigging."

She growled. "Damn you."

"Mhm."

He just went down the rigging, looking out. "FIRE THE CANNONS!" He ordered. They shot the cannons from the distance, and Onyx watched in satisfaction as they hit the hull of the pirate ship. They got closer, and Jim ordered rapid fire of all available weapons into the weak spots. Between their strategic maneuvering and constant firing of weapons, the pirate ship was nothing but rubble within an hour.

"Ahoy!" Jim called to the captain, who was an elderly human man. "Are you all alright?"

The captain nodded, cupping his hands over his mouth. "Aye, Lieutenant Hawkins. We're all just a little shaken up. Thanks to you and your crew, we aren't worse!"

Jim nodded, looking to the side. "Onyx, make sure the pirates lifeboats are collected. Can't have any of those bastards out and about. Someone grapple the Lady J, we'll tow her in to Grandsgov!"

* * *

Onyx sat opposite Minerva in a medium sized wooden cabin that was Grandsgov's local clinic. She had her arm wrapped and was looking at the ground.

"Didn't count on reinforcements..." Onyx sighed. Minerva nodded. "Bloody gits, the lot of 'em."

"Never heard more truth in a sentence."

"Meh. Why're you waitin' here with me, eh? Don't you have something else to do, trust fund?" She was looking at him now, an eyebrow raised. Onyx blinked. "Jim told me to wait here."

"Course. What, think I can't handle sitting by myself? Think I need a damn baby sitter?!" She growled, standing, her tail flicking dangerously. Onyx blinked and shook his head. "Calm down, woman. He's meeting with the captain of the Lady J and thought it best someone remained to make sure all the crew was accounted for when we got back on the ship. Right now you're the last one remaining in the infirmary."

"Well, you should have told me that sooner, git." She jumped up and started walking. Onyx sighed and followed, finding his eyes drawn to her swinging hips.

_Daaaaaaaaaaaammmnn..._

He grinned a bit boyishly, but quickly forced his face back to normal. He couldn't act like that...she was a crew member, not an available female. You couldn't date other members of the navy...and, at any rate, she seemed to have a less than pleasant attitude towards him. Why the hell he even liked her he didn't know...maybe it was her boldness...

Or her hips.

Or maybe her eyes...they were a gorgeous shade of purple...

And her shirt was very tight up top.

His mind fought back and forth as they reached the ship. Looks, personality, looks, personality...damn he didn't know much of anything about her anyhow. He stopped on the deck and looked around. Everyone was in place, waiting for Jim. No doubt they were eager to get back to the academy. It'd take an hour, at most. There would be dinner and time to relax before they had to get up at seven in the morning the next day. Onyx stood on the middle deck, waiting. Eventually Jim joined him, who waved a hand, and they set off.

"So?" Onyx inquired, following Jim to the small stateroom located on the sloop.

"They came out of no where-the pirates. One minute the Lady J was just sailing, doing their daily fishing rounds, next, woosh! Pirates were shooting at them with all they had. We arrived just in time-maybe a half hour after they showed up. They had no warning at all of the ship showing up. They were hiding behind an asteroid." Jim sighed, sitting at his desk. "They think they had some way to see them before they could be seen, but they had no idea how."

Onyx raised an eyebrow. "Did they consider that they were just waiting for anyone?"

"Yeah, but they said they felt that wasn't it. They aren't the only case, either. A few other patrols had similar cases, not far from this area."

"Oh, well good Lord." Onyx sighed. "What do we do, then?"

Jim looked at the map across his desk, then out the porthole behind him. "Hope we can get back to the academy in one piece."

* * *

"Attack out of no where? They weren't lying in wait or following them?" Amelia stared at Jim with wide eyes in the mess hall of the academy, a mug of coffee in her hand. The food on her tray lay untouched.

"No, Amelia. They just came out of nowhere. They keep insisting it can't possibly be anything else but some sort of...device. Something that let the pirates detect the Lady J before the Lady J had any chance of knowing about the pirate ship. They were just too perfectly placed..."

"Well hells bells and buckets of blood." Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is just...frustrating."

"Stressful." Jim added, taking some sort of herb from his pocket and dropping it in Amelia's cup. She smiled softly. "Thank you, James."

"Welcome. They'll help you sleep, too."

She nodded, sipping it. "Mm. Aurora's taught you much."

"Heh. Yeah." He smiled. "I can mix a salve with my eyes closed."

"Good. It'll help you when they ship you out."

Jim furrowed his brow. "Ship me out? But, me and Onyx head the pa-"

"They're going to ship all the younger ones out eventually, James. I figure you might go with me when I get deployed." She looked at him sadly, sighing at the fearful expression on his face. "If the ambassador gets here and signs the treaty, though, no one will have to ship out." She said, smiling slightly. The glint of hope on Jim's face made her feel better.

"Yeah...there's always that." He nodded and smiled. "Maybe it'll work this time."

* * *

I hope you all enjoy this. :3 I had fun with it. ^^ Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I own anything not Disney and all that is not Disney may not be used ANYWHERE else.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for the lateness in updates. School is a beyoch. I got finals next week. Fingers crossed. :3

I own anything not Disney, and bitch you better not take it.

* * *

They weren't a church-going couple. Sure, they'd both gone to church, they both had a religion, but they weren't devout. They didn't pray over every meal, but they did when they remembered. They had crosses hanging in every room of their home, sometimes more than one. They usually did their best to keep their mouths in check, and they often told stories of the Bible to the children. But no, Amelia and Delbert Doppler were not the type to dress up each Sunday and go to the church on the other side of town.

But the occasion called for it.

Amelia had taken the time. Done her hair up, put on a beautiful Sunday dress with faint blue flowers on it. She'd dressed the children in their nicest clothes and Delbert had made himself look appropriate as well. And it wasn't just them, but their friends and family, too. Jim, Onyx, a near weeping Sarah, and Aurora and Penifold as well. Edmund and Erica, who'd postponed their wedding due to the war. Just so all the family would be present instead of the few that remained while the others were thrust into hell three months early. Honey stood, holding her nieces Tillie and Jib, who were both fussing with the frill of their dresses. Amelia gave herself one look in the mirror before putting on a hat, one simple and elegant like her dress. Delbert came behind her, Matey in one hand, his other sliding around his wife's hip as he planted a kiss on her cheek. She gave him a faint smile and sighed. She started walking down the stairs with the lot when she felt something tug on her dress, and she looked down to see Sunny, who whined and held his hands up as if to say, "carry me".

Amelia smiled slightly and picked him up, kissing his cheek as he wrapped his arms around her neck. She walked down the stairs, her heart heavier than before. It began weighing her down more and more as they all loaded into either Delbert and Amelia's carriage or Aurora and Penifold's. They started off. By then, sitting between her husband and sister, her son in her lap, babbling and chewing on her finger, she was visibly holding back tears. Delbert glanced her way and frowned, taking the reins in one hand, using the other to hold hers. Amelia whimpered. Like a child.

_Pathetic._ She thought. _That's what I am. Pathetic. I'm a grown woman. I shouldn't be near weeping like this. Bloody hell. I'm no ninny. _She glanced behind her at her other three toddlers, which sat between Sarah, who had her face in a handkerchief, and Jim, who was staring to the side as if he was trying to remember everything. Like he might never see it again.

It was when she truly realized she might not ever see any of this ever again that she gave into the tears.

* * *

"On this day, we thank the Lord for our soldiers, who, in the early morn of tomorrow, will be called to the docks and taken far from us. From their church, family, and friends, to defend all we have gained in our time in the Terran Empire." The Preacher said this solemnly to the over-packed church, filled with crying women, children, and grown men. Some wore their uniforms instead of church clothes, and nearly all the veterans stood at the back, hands held firmly over their hearts, unmoving.

"May He be with all the brave men and woman I see here today. May He protect them and, if it be their time, may he carry them to the Heavens and may He let the families who remain live well and keep faith in their Lord. Amen."

"Amen." The church rang loudly, soon followed by crying as everyone began slowly emptying out as the organ played a bittersweet farewell tune. There were no dry eyes in the Doppler family. Even Jeffery, who'd come with his wife, a man known to lack in the areas of emotional sensitivity and usually came off as stand-offish and uncaring, was hugging his son and crying.

_Never knew he could care..._

Amelia thought quietly while drying her eyes with her handkerchief. Her whole life, she'd never been fond of Jeffery. He'd hated Arrow, his brother. Since finding out about Arrow's...less than noble past, she'd read more journals and found that Jeffery had never been apart of it. That he'd always disliked Arrow and Veronica, both brutal, sick, and sadistic in his mind. He'd been rather cool to Amelia since she'd become part of the "family", and that explained why. She'd rarely seen Onyx when he was a young man until Clara was born, and even then it was rare. She did start seeing him more frequently after she moved out, but even then Jeffery had always been cold. But now, as she saw him pull away from Onyx and wipe his eyes with his sleeve, saying something she figured to be a goodbye to him, she related to Jeffery, and she let this turn into accepting warmth for the man. She even felt a bit sympathetic for him, knowing that he was staying at Crescentia spaceport because his forces were requested more at base than at war. She turned her head when she heard a small, childish whimper come from Onyx before he hugged his father. She breathed deeply, trying to hold back more tears threatening to spill over. Delbert was waiting for her at the door. She bounded over and nearly knocked him to the ground in a hug. He didn't object, not in the least, and kissed her deeply. They remained lip locked for a good bit, just outside the entrance of the church, Delbert's hand twirling Amelia's hair, hers gripping his like a lifeline as she took deep gasping breaths between kisses. No one bothered them, and neither was really surprised.

They finally ceased their kissing after awhile, breathing heavily, their faces close enough each could feel the other's breath on their skin.

"I d-don't want to leave, Delby." Amelia whimpered quietly, resting her head below his, taking in the scent of his cologne. He pet her head.

"I don't w-w-want y-you t-t-to leave..." He whispered, his voice quivering like a sad violin. Amelia mewed like a kitten and buried her face in his chest.

"Bloody wars...t-that's all t-t-they a-are blood b-baths created b-by j-jelousy and r-rage and...and f-fear. Damned...damned fear..."

Delbert soothingly rubbed her back, resisting the urge to throw up.

Come tomorrow, he may never see his darling again.

* * *

Amelia looked upon her crew. Sturdy men and women all with proud naval records under their belts, and she bet most with photos of those they loved tucked into the breast pocket of their uniforms. She looked off to the side, seeing Jim on his own ship. Jim looked back and gave a thumbs up. Good to go.

"Ready, Clarkson?" Amelia said, looking to her side. Clement nodded.

"Aye, Admiral."

"Good, then. Give the order. The fleet will leave now, heading Northwest, 3200. Use the call system."

"Yes, ma'am." Clement nodded and ran behind her, shouting the order through an electrically powered speaking tube. Amelia watched from the bridge for a moment before descending to the lower deck, glancing about to make sure the crew were doing as they were told before going to the upper deck, standing at the bow. She looked out at the docks of Crescentia, seeing them. The families. Men, women, children. Bidding farewell to their loved ones, possibly forever. She scanned the crowd, her eyes finding hers. Clara, Edmund, Delbert, and the children. Even from this distance her sharp eyesight caught tears trickling down all their cheeks.

Her heart ached.

She waved slowly. They waved back. She took a deep breath and stood on the railing of the bow, filling her lungs and cupping her hands over her mouth as the ships began to rise.

"FOR HONOR, FAMILY, AND EMPIRE!"

Her words carried to the crowd. They stopped waving. In union, young and old cupped their hands around their mouths.

"**FOR HONOR, FAMILY, AND EMPIRE!**"


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you all for the great reviews! They really mean a lot and help me along with writing. Decided I'll give y'all another update before the end of the weekend, and thanks for the good wishes on my finals. :)

I own anything not Disney. Don't take mah stuff.

* * *

Soon as Amelia reached her stateroom, she slammed the door behind her. Her body trembled, her nails digging into the door, wood curls proceeding her hands as she slid to the floor in a heap. Her hair fell from its tight bun, like it itself was giving in with the rest of her, following the path of her jelly legs, her heart that thumped fast as a hummingbirds wings as her body pulsed with the rythmn before she fell forward, whimpering. Sniffling. A weak lump of a woman. She felt dizzy, short of breath. Bloody hell she couldn't be having one of these...never in her career...

She slowly made herself calm down, using all her strength to calm her breathing, to calm her body. Over a time she couldn't measure Amelia's body began to relax, her breathing regulated. Her heart returned to its strong thumping that Delbert said reminded him often of a mighty drum. Her head cleared and she swallowed air like water, pushing herself to her elbows and knees, then just to her knees, leaning back, her eyes closed, letting herself piece things back together before rising to her feet. Unstable hands tied her hair back and grasped her hat, and wobbly legs led her to her desk. She sat, her body relaxing more, the slightest of shaking the only thing remaining, along with a feeling of unease.

"Bloody hell..." She sighed, leaning back in her chair. She'd never experienced an anxiety or panic attack herself, but she'd seen them. Many a soldier had fallen to such a crippled mass before her eyes...especially during war.

"Admiral? Madam?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Clement's voice, and the shaking returned. _Blast it damn and bloody hell..._

"Come in, Clement. Come in." She said, surprised at how clear her voice sounded. She wedged her feet under her desk to help them stop shaking and used her hands to prop up her head. Clement blinked. "I, uh, was just coming to see if you were alright ma'am."

"I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I've come knocking several times and you haven't said anything...you've been in here near an hour."

Amelia felt her body tense and her heart start beating again. She remained silent as she forced her mind to be one track. She bet that if she could keep it like that the rest of the day, she wouldn't have an attack again. Correction, she had to keep her mind on one track, or she would have another one.

"...Madam?"

Amelia breathed deeply, leaning back in her chair, feeling the anxiety slowly flow through her body, down to her feet and out, leaving a worn core. Damn this was weird as hell. "Sorry, Clement." She said quietly, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I must ask what you were knocking about."

"I was knocking because earlier you requested I make sure you patrol the ship soon as we leave port, Amelia." He spoke as he closed the door, taking his hat off and tossing it to a side table, where it landed perfectly. Having spent many an hour together by now, Amelia and Clement both felt they were reasonably good friends.

"Oh. Yes. That." She sighed. "Well, is there anything going on that requests either of our services?"

"As of now, there isn't." Clement went to a small stove that sat beside a sink. He drew from a cupboard above a silver kettle, filled it with water, and put it on the flame. Amelia blinked. "Clement, why ar-"

"Take a look in the mirror, Amelia." He said, not turning to her as he took out a ceramic jar containing jasmine tea leaves. Amelia sighed, rising to her evenly steady feet, making her way to the mirror on the other side of the room. She looked herself in the eye and frowned. The dark circles under her eyes from many sleepless nights leading up to this moment were strikingly evident. Her fur was ruffled, her bun looked positively bonkers and cold beads of sweat were on her brow. She wiped that away with her sleeve, sighing as she took her hat off and hung it up, putting down her hair and putting it back up properly.

"Thank you, Clement."

* * *

Jim surveyed the deck of his War Sloop. He'd been taken off the patrol, along with Onyx and a few of the other top crew members. Now he remained ranked Lieutenant, but he captained a ship that he'd signed for with his own hand. He'd named it the _RLS Silver Coin_, and only those closest to him knew it referenced a man Jim considered to be one of the most important people in his past.

And, as of late, possibly his present.

While doing patrols, they'd captured pirates that had a mysterious device. It was a map of sorts, which let them see before being seen, and know how big the ship was, in a surprisingly large radius. It had the same technology the map to Treasure Planet had, and since then it had aided them in finding more and more pirates. That included one of Silver's crew, who seemed to have escaped from prison. All he'd said to Jim was that Silver said, "beware" before he was carried off in chains. This message had bothered Jim for the last month, but he didn't let it show. The thing that bothered him most, really, had been that the pirates somehow got off Treasure Planet.

Though he had all these troubling thoughts, there was one amusing one that gave him a laugh each day. What was this one thought?

Onyx and Minerva.

Good God, he loved to watch these two. Mostly because Minerva seemed totally oblivious to the infatuation he had for her, while him and everyone else had figured it out by now. Seemed Onyx had mostly given up on hiding it...except in front of Minerva. She'd be walking by, and he'd turn his head to follow her, but soon as she gave the slightest indication of turning around, Onyx's head was facing a totally different direction. In fact this happened several times just that day, and the gears in Jim's mischievous head began turning...

He waited in the hall. After talking with a member of the crew, they'd arranged it. Onyx always patrolled the ship, making sure the right doors were locked and supplies was where it need be, and Minerva usually had night watch. The crew member would tell her he had the night watch this night and for her to go to bed, so she'd head down this hall at, if they timed it right, the same time as Onyx.

And they most certainty timed it right.

When the two were walking, Jim jumped from his hiding place and creped behind Onyx, his light footing masked by the heavy footsteps of the giant who was now nearly 7'5 since they began patrol. When they were just close enough, Jim shoved Onyx with all his might and booked it down the hall.

* * *

Onyx knew that very moment who had pushed him, and he was pissed as hell.

He fell straight into Minerva, who yowled angrily. He landed hard on his hands and knees. "Damn it!" He cursed, opening his eyes and finding two purple orbs staring straight back at him. He felt his cheeks turn red as she pushed himself up. "I-I'm sorry someone pu-"

"'Mere." Minerva grabbed his collar and pulled him inches from her face. Her perfume smelled like lilacs. "Jim pushed you. Surprised you didn't notice him standing there."

"Uh-uh, well I um-"

"Good to hear you unsure of yourself for once, pretty boy." She grinned and, before Onyx knew it, she was the one looking down on him, hand on either side of his head, her warm body resting on top of his as she curled her long tail around one of his legs.

"W-What's happening." Onyx said quietly as she inched her face closer to his.

"Do you like me?" She asked. Onyx blinked, blushing even more. "I-Yeah."

She smirked. "I've known that since you were in the clinic with me."

"Then wh-"

"Just wanted to see if you're a liar or not." She whispered. Onyx looked at her and slowly slid his hands up to rest on her back. "I'm guessing this means you like me too."

"Yeah. Ya priss." She said, and she kissed him. Onyx was shocked to say the least, but he did nooooooooot mind. Not at all. Nope. He didn't mind the first, second, third, or fifteenth kiss either. All the kisses that followed the first were defiantly not a problem. By the time he was given a minute to breath, Onyx felt dizzy. Minerva looked a little cross-eyed herself.

"I think we should get back to our rooms before someone catches us." Onyx said breathlessly. Minerva nodded a bit, and they both stood. Onyx kissed her one last time and smiled. "Goodnight."

She smiled up at him, something Onyx had never seen on the scruffy Felinid's face. It was sweet as her perfume. "Goodnight." She said, slowly breaking from his embrace and walking away, her hips swinging even more than usual until she closed the door to her room behind her. Onyx slowly put his hat on backward and made his way to his room, a puppy-love grin plastered on his face.


	9. Chapter 9

Warning, this gets real dramatic and graphic and depressing but hopefully still interesting. Enjoy, and happy thanksgiving! :D

I own anything not disney. No, you can't use it.

* * *

He walked to the door of his office, looking to the Terran guard beside it.

"I am going to patrol ze ship." He said.

"Alright, Ambassador Evan."

Evan nodded once and adjusted his hat before walking out, his feet gliding along the white marble floor of the inner ship. He stepped out onto the sleek cheery wood deck and looked out at his crew, all who were more brutish looking members of the Procyon society. Perfect for their line of work. Stationed at each corner of the ship was a Terran guard, who all wore the uniforms that shone their despicable pride. Evan stepped lightly to the lower deck, passing the men, who were all at least an inch taller than his small, slight frame. All the guards eyes followed him. They spoke their emotions: distaste, hate, utter loathing. Of course. None of the bloody savages cared for his kind.

Well, the feeling was mutual.

He walked up to two individuals. Virtually identical Procinians, who possessed the brutish build and features mixed with their raccoon-like mask. They turned when they heard his steps and saluted.

"General Evan!" They said in Procyon, which was a graceful, flowing French-like language that very few others knew, due to Procinian's hostility towards near all other races. The Terran guards looked pissed.

"At ease, men." Evan said in English. "Come with me." He then said in Procyon. They obeyed quickly as Evan turned on his heel and began walking around the ship. He gave no indication that what he was doing was suspicious as he went below deck. He rounded a corner, out of the eyesight of any guards, and opened a door that was hidden simply by being made to look like the wooden wall. In he entered with his two most trusted guards, known as Commanding Officers Jacque and Viktor. He closed the door to the lavishly decorated room behind him. Marble flooring, polished gold plated walls. The accommodations included proper tea making facilities and plush furniture, along with a bookshelf containing all matter of literature. Evan sat on a couch by himself, while Jacque and Viktor both took seats in single chairs, looking a bit out of place in the elegant, sound-proof room.

"Vaht is going on, General?" Asked Viktor.

"I'm simply informing you ouv aun occurunce zat vill be happening vary soon."

"Vaht is that?" Jacque raised an eyebrow.

"Ve vill be "attacked"," Evan made quotations with his fingers, "at exactly three o'clock this avternoon."

"Vy o'?"

"The crew. You are to inform the rest of the crew to only use half of what we could have until the escourt is destroyed. By then, one of the ships from Madam Amelia's fleet will have been sent to answer the distress calls, and our alleys would have left."

The men nodded, standing simultaneously with Evan.

"Vaht is the point ouv zis, sir?" Asked Jacque, who stopped at the door before exiting behind Viktor.

Evan's lips curled devilishly. "strategy, dear Jacque, strategy."

* * *

The next day, Jim observed Onyx. Every time Minerva walked by, he'd look at her, and when she looked back, he'd smile. And she'd grin. When Onyx went up the rigging as part of his ship patrol, he ended up by Minerva, showing her how to tie a knot, which was rubbish. Jim knew any rigger was an expert knot tier, especially Minerva. She'd gotten pissed off at him and had made a noose and stuck it around his neck before he could breath, warning him that next time, they'd both be on the rigging, and he would "fall". He thanked God that the plan he'd formed with the crew member had worked. He considered his ass saved. And was honestly glad to see Onyx a little less serious, especially after the emotional goodbye to his father and mother that had made Jim nearly tear up.

Everything was going oddly smoothly as the fleet traveled through the Etherium, searching for a Iron Clad, and only one, to take and capture. They planned to disarm it, study it, possibly find the bastards who operated it. Sadly, though, none had been found. But, no casualties or injuries, so no one was complaining.

So, of course something had to go wrong.

Jim was sitting in his stateroom with a distant Onyx when his communicator started squealing.

"Gotta change the damn tone!" Jim shouted before flipping open the device built into the wall, next to a map like the one in Amelia's stateroom on the legacy.

"Mister Hawkins!" Amelia appeared on the screen, her face knit in anger. "The Naval Escort for the Procinian diplomat has come under fire from a pirate ship. They are approximately due northwest of your ship. You must change course and go assist them. The RLS Comet will be accompanying you."

"Yes ma'am!" Jim saluted.

"Good. Disconnecting." Amelia's face zipped out of existence. Jim turned to Onyx.

"Onyx, tell the crew to follow the RLS Comet."

"K." He went off. Jim soon followed outside, met with the sight of the Royal Naval Escort in flames and a half destroyed Procyon ship.

"ALL GUNNERS TO STATIONS!" He shouted. "LOWER ALL SAILS! FULL EMERGENCY POWER!"

"FULL EMERGENCY POWER ENGAGED!" Yelled the helmsman. Jim went over and took over the helm, guiding the ship expertly over by the pirate ship that was raining lasers on the Royal Escort. "SAVE WHO YOU CAN!" Jim shouted across to the comet. The captain nodded and guided her ship as instructed, Jim swirling around. They released all fire they could on the pirates, who retaliated messily. They went back and fourth, back and fourth. The Procyon ship backed them up with a star cannon, and eventually this drove the pirates off, but they were unable to pursue and destroy. They went beside the Comet.

"ANY CASULATIES, CAPTAIN?" Jim shouted. The captain just shook their head. "BRILLIANT. RETURN TO FLEET. WE'LL TOW THE PROCYON DIPLOMATS TO THE NEAREST PORT."

"YES SIR, LIEUTENANT HAWKINS." They responded, nodding and signaling their helmsman to guide them there. Jim guided the Silver Coin by the Procyon ship. "PERMISSION TO GRAPPLE?"

He saw a small Procyon step forward with some sort of cone shaped object, which he held up to his mouth. "PERMISSION GRANTED, LIEUTENANT HAWKINS."

Jim nodded, whistling. They grappled the ship, and he handed the controls over to the helmsman, instructing him to dock at the nearest harbor. "I wonder how he knew I'm Lieutenant Hawkins." Jim mused once on the lower deck with Onyx, glancing back at the ship and its crew, who was now putting out the fires on the sails.

"The captain yelled it out loud, Jim."

"Oh, yeah."

* * *

Did she need a bra? Yeah. Yeah guess she did. Aurora put on the annoying undergarment that she wanted to bitch slap in the face. Then again, a bra's face would probably be the cups, and she didn't want to smack her own boob. That would hurt.

"Captain Mayflower? Are you, er, decent?"

Ah. That was her First Mate, Mark. Aurora pulled on some underwear and opened the door. The dorky young man's face turned bright red.

"Uh, uh, uh-"

"Speak before this door becomes acquainted with your face, Mark." Aurora rolled her eyes. He coughed and saluted her. "We are docking for the night in approximately a half hour, Captain."

"Good. Bye." She slammed the door closed and sighed. Well, he didn't notice. Maybe everyone thought she was just getting fat. She turned sideways in her mirror, staring at the reflection. They probably just didn't think about the fact. After all, out here she couldn't get the proper nourishment...

Her stomach growled.

"Damn it you, shut the fuck up." Aurora growled, putting on some casual clothes, tying up her boots and exiting her room. She didn't need to put on her uniform right now. On the deck, she turned her head up to the stars, staring. They were so beautiful...

She sighed and turned around, watching as the ship docked. She had to tell him...tell someone...She exited the ship, running around until she spotted Penifold. She ran up to him, and he smiled.

"Hey, babe." He grinned and put a hand on her side.

_"I don't want that-that **thing.**" He growled, pointing angrily. Aurora cowered, the very action sending pain through her body. _

_"Don't you speak of her that way!" Her mother growled, jabbing him in the chest. He stared at her. "Get rid of it."_

_"No! She's our daughter!"_

_"She's a freak! A making of the devil-worthless!"_

_"She's a little girl!"_

_"Who can do things not normal-things people shouldn't be able to do-things that are not to be done in this house!"_

_"You bastard! She'll learn to control it!"_

_He slapped her. Then he looked to Aurora. He took a house shaking step towards her and picked her up by her scruff, going over to the fireplace, swigging from his rum bottle. _

_"NO!" Her mother screeched as Aurora cried. She ran over and shoved him away. "You won't do that!"_

_He glared at her and slapped her again, sending her falling to the ground. "Stupid bitch. Shouldn't have ever married you."_

_"D-don't." Her mother whimpered as the man-the monster-aimed Aurora at the fire. He stopped for a second, stared, and then tossed the kit in the fire._

"Rori?"

Aurora nearly jumped out of her skin, breathing like she'd just run a mile and shaking uncontrollably. Penifold looked alarmed and jumped back before putting both hands on her shoulders. "Rori? Rori what is wrong?!"

Aurora kept shaking, tearing up. Penifold looked like he might cry too. She'd never been anything but composed since they'd been together.

"I-I-" She pulled away and ran, stumbling, dry retching. She reached some cargo and collapsed, throwing up, emptying everything she'd had that day until she was dry retching again. Her hair was a mess, sticking out in sweaty strands. She stayed on her knees, eyes closed, a bitter taste in her mouth as her body kept shaking. Penifold showed up at her side, down on one knee, putting a hand on her side again.

_She rolled out, screaming. Pain. Fire. It burned, everything burned it burned so, so much. She couldn't hear, a ringing disorienting any sound that could make sense. All she saw was screaming parents. Her eyes opened and closed._

_"DEVIL!" She heard as the ringing went down. Her mother? _

_"BITCH!" Her father. _

_And a gunshot._

She retched again, bringing up acid that scorched her throat and made her head hurt. She would have collapsed into her own vomit if Penifold hadn't caught her.

"Aurora?! Are you sick-what-what is happening?!" He near screeched, looking panicked. She breathed deeply, regaining herself, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. She spit on the ground as she grabbed Penifold's shoulders for support. He put his hand on her side-her other side. Relief. The un-called for nightmare she'd relived faded from her mind as she looked into the worried eyes of her lover.

"Pen...Peni...I'm...pregnant."


	10. Chapter 10

FYI, Evan is pronounced "E-vahn".

I do not own anything Disney, but everything else is mine and will remain so. It will not be distributed in any way shape or form. Yeah. I'm lookin' at y'all.

**THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE I ENCOURAGE THEM AS ALWAYS, AND I THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO DO IT SO OFTEN WITHOUT FAIL, YOU REALLY ENCOURAGE ME! YOUR SUPPORT IS AMAZING!**

* * *

"Madam!" Clement rushed in, skidding to a stop. Amelia was sitting at her desk in a lacy black bra that was nearly see through, pipe between her teeth as she sewed up her shirt. She looked up when he yelled and dropped her pipe before screaming and covering herself up. Clement faltered for a moment before bolting out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

"I-I'm so sorry, Madam!" He nearly squealed before covering his mouth and taking a deep breath, leaning his back against the door. A few moments passed before the door waved open. Clement, still trying to keep his mind of the rather lovely sight beforehand, fell flat on his back, knocking the wind out of him. He stared up into the irate face of a-thankfully- fully clothed Amelia.

"What the bloody hell was that about Mister Clarkson." She hissed. The tone eerily resembled the one Clement remembered his mother using when he was a child. He propped himself up on his shoulders, rubbing his head.

"I-I'm sorry, Madam. I-er-the Royal Escort has been saved by Mister Hawkins and, uh, whoever captains the RLS Comet."

"Oh, well good. Don't see how that causes you to burst in at a most _inappropriate_ time."

Clement outwardly winced, standing, brushing himself off. "Aye, I'm, heh, well aware of that, Madam. And I do apologize thoroughly. It's just-"

"Just what? Just bloody _what_ Mister Clarkson?!"

_Well, somebody is pissy today_, Clement thought, sighing. "Well, you see, Madam, the Procyon Ambassador is-"

"You know what, I don't give a bloody damn, Clarkson. Leave." She waved him away with her hand, taking a few gliding steps back to her desk, where she sat.

"But, Madam, I-"

"_Leave _Mister Clarkson! I shan't have to ask you again before you find yourself confined to the brig for the remainder of the week!"

Clement paused, staring at her, and sighed. He drew himself to his full height and placed his hands behind his back, clasping them together. "As you wish, Madam."

"Good. Close the bleeding door on the way out and tell the crew I'm not dealing with any codswallop today; I'm only to be disturbed if it is of the utmost importance."

Clement sighed heavily, putting a gloved hand on the bank-vault styled handle. "Yes, Madam." He closed the door, the thunderous click of the locking mechanism echoing through the empty hall of the Lyonesse. He clasped his hands behind his back once more and went above deck. As he went about his job, he wondered what-besides accidentally being caught in her undergarments- could have spawned the outburst from Amelia. He exhaled, knowing that, when he got the chance, his news would just worsen it.

* * *

"Come in, Mister Hawkins." Said Amelia at the knock on her door, her jacket draped over the back of her seat, pipe between her teeth. Jim entered and immediately began coughing.

"Good God, Amelia, I can't breath in this!" He wheezed, stepping out of the room. Amelia sighed, unlatching one of the back windows and extinguishing her pipe reluctantly, placing it back in its drawer with her tobacco and lighter. After a few minutes Jim came back in, breathing deeply.

"Thanks."

"I should have had it opened beforehand." Amelia said, sitting. "What brings you here, Mister Hawkins? I wasn't even aware we'd docked."

"Sure you haven't added any "herbs" to that tobacco there, Amelia?" Jim joked. He dodged the glove Amelia threw at him and then closed the door, knowing she never liked it open longer than it had to be. Jim picked up the glove and set it on a side table. "Just kinda came over to report on the Naval Escort rescue mission."

"Ah, yes. Clarkson informed me it was a success."

"Aye, it was."

"Casualties?"

"None of the Escort, Madam. I don't know about the Procs."

"No one gives a rats arse about them anyhow." She shrugged, sighing. "They're starting to care now. There's talk of becoming allies with them."

"I have heard no such talk, so you can simply dismiss it, Mister Hawkins!" She snapped, startling the young Lieutenant. She sighed afterwards and stood. "I'm sorry James."

"Bad day?"

"Tea?" She swerved around his question and headed to the small stove, filling a kettle with water and putting it on the flame. Jim only nodded and she added more water. "So, what do you think about the Ambassador?"

"I don't know. Haven't met him."

"Ah. I heard his name is...uh..." Jim paused, staring at the ceiling. Amelia stared at him with an amused face as he kept thinking, seeming to be a bit slow today. She took the kettle off the flame when it was boiling and poured the steaming water into two mugs.

"Earl grey, James?"

"Early day?"

"No, no earl grey."

"Oh."

"I'll just put the teabag in." And she did so. She waited a minute and then handed Jim his mug of tea, sitting across from him and sipping her own. Jim thanked her and sipped his, and his eyes lit up. "Oh yeah, now I remember! His name is Ambassador Evan."

Amelia choked on her tea. "EVAN PROCYON?!"

Jim jumped. "I guess?"

Amelia jumped to her feet, her tea flinging into the air and nearly landing on poor Jim, but instead breaking on the ground inches away from the terrified young man.

"EVAN PROCYON IS THE TOP PROCINIAN WAR GENERAL!"

* * *

Dixie entered the Doppler mansion and looked around, untying the scarf around her head and hanging it with her coat. The house looked alright, but definitly messier than it did when Amelia had been around. That woman was neat and tidy and would settle for no less with very few exceptions, very unlike her disorderly son.

"Delbert?" She called. She recieved no response. "Hmph." She shook her head and picked up her suitcase, walking to the room she and Jacob stayed in if and when they visited. She put her things where she saw fit and began to wander, trying to find her son. She went up the stairs, muttering Russian curses at her aging joints, and perked her ears. Snoring. She followed this rumble down the halls, twisting and turning, up another staircase and then down half a flight to the next, before finally landing in a small library off a spare bedroom, where she discovered Delbert passed out on a plump couch, all her grandchildren gathered around him in snoring little lumps. Matey sucked her thumb, Tillie curled herself around the arm of her father, and Sunny and Jib were flopped over each other at Delbert's feet.

"Aww, little любимцами." She smiled. She walked over and lifted Jib, Matey, and Sunny into her arms, adjusting them with ease that came from many years rearing her own lot, then slowly drew Tillie from Delbert's arm and into hers. The young kit yawned and flicked her tail, resting her head on Dixie's bosom. Dixie kissed Tillie's forehead and carried them off to the nursery, placing each in their crib before making tea and trecking back to the small library and putting it on the coffee table beside where Delbert slept. He snorted. His nose wiggled.

"3...2...1..." She looked away from the clock as Delbert opened his eyes, looking at the tea, and then slowly up at her.

"Mama?!" He jumped up, scratching his head of tousled hair in bewhilerment. "Where did you-"

"I'm staying to help you until Amelia is back, pet." She sat on the couch beside him, handing him the tea. He blinked and stared. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Because I knew you'd insist I stay home." She said, and tapped the tea cup. "Now drink up. You look half dead."

Delbert obeyed, still staring at his mother. "You're crazy, Mama."

"And don't think you didn't inherit any of it. I can tell you're trying, but it's wearing you out. You need help-and I know Sarah is too busy with that inn of hers and keeping herself in check to do so enough."

"Mama-"

"No buts. I already unpacked."

"Mama-!"

She gave him a look, and he quieted, finishing his tea. "Thank you Mama." He said softly, lowering his ears and looking at her, his big brown eyes making Dixie feel warm inside. She chuckled and kissed his cheek. "Good boy. Always the smart one." She stood and took the cup. "Now you get dressed. Until this house is as clean as I deem fit, you're not going back asleep. After it's clean, you're skipping work tomorrow to sleep in, and I'm watching the children."

"But I-" Delbert stopped himself, then smiled a bit, rising to his feet. "Alright, Mama."

* * *

Back at port, Onyx and Minerva snuck off the ship in civilian clothes, hopping into a rickshaw that was common travel for the planet. They rode deep into the town before getting off, where they deemed themselves safe. Soon as they were on a sidewalk, Minerva grabbed Onyx's collar and pulled him down for a passionate kiss.

"It's bloody difficult as hell having to stay away from you on the damned ship." She breathed, letting him go. Onyx pulled her close and kissed her until neither could breath properly.

"I know." He gasped. "But it makes things a bit more interesting, doesn't it?" He grinned. She returned it, gripping his hand. "Never took you for a risk taker."

"What did you take me for?"

"A cautious, play-it-by-the-book city boy."

"Oh, and what am I now?" He grinned wider, moving his hands down to her lower back. She purred, putting her arms around his shoulders-for the most part. He was so damned tall.

"A smartass, fast paced gentleman." She smirked. "What has it been, two weeks?"

"Week and three days."

"Well aren't we specific."

"A little."

"Feels like a year."

"I'm not complaining."

"Don't think we're moving to fast?"

"Do you?"

"No."

"Then I think this is brilliant." He kissed her again and took her hand, twirling her around and then walking with her. She smiled, rosy cheeked. "This is great."

"It is." He breathed deeply, looking up at the sky. "I just wish I'd met you earlier so we didn't have to...hide this."

"Aye, I do too...is there a way around it?"

Onyx sighed, thinking. He glanced at Minerva, eyes focusing on her face, then her hips, then back to her face again. This woman had made him feel freer than he ever had been. It'd been exactly a week and three days since they started dating, and he knew it was fast-too fast, honestly, but he couldn't stop himself. There was a line he would draw, but he hadn't come to it yet, and he didn't plan to for a long while. Though he now lived for the way his heart sped up when he saw her, when they snuck off at night to each other's rooms to talk and kiss, their little rendezvous when they stopped at the several ports currently scattered across their path on the lookout for Iron Clads, he knew he had to be careful, and he had too much respect for both himself and Minerva to carry things where they needn't go, especially during this point in the relationship, and in history. He wished there was a way where, though it was fun and daring, they didn't have to sneak around like a couple of crooks. Bloody work policies.

"I don't know right now...I mean, I could look if I had the Interstellar Academy's library at hand but...I don't."

She only nodded, and smiled, jumping a bit to kiss his cheek. "Well, we'll figure something out eventually."

"Just not today." He added, finding himself chuckling. He twirled her as they walked, making her giggle in a rather out-of-character fashion for the brash woman she was.

"Graceful." He said, smiling. She grinned up at him, nuzzling his arm. "Only with you guiding me."

"You're still graceful. Like a swan."

"Aw, Nyxie I-" She tripped over her own feet, and Onyx caught her, stabling her before they continued.

"A drunken swan." He joked. She smacked his chest and rolled her eyes, making him laugh. They then continued their walk in silence. They admired lamps hanging from strings over the street, and laughed at the various performers going around, doing their tricks and performing their skits. The smell of tantalizing foods drifted from open shop and resturant windows. Onyx picked a flower from the ground. It was deep purple, with yellow splotches on the leaves, and a grass green center. He tucked it in Minerva's hair. She blinked and reached up, patting it, and smiling. "Thank you Onyx."

"You're welcome darlin'" Onyx responded, putting on a mock Southern accent for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Ok, maybe to make her laugh-which worked. They walked out into a park, tranquil. Other couples and families walked about it, talking lightly and resting in the grass and around an elegant fountain, which was a twisting, elegant willow tree sculpture with water spouting from branches, running down the stone leaves and dropping into the coin filled base. Onyx took a pence from his pocket and tossed it in.

"What did you wish for?" She looked up at him. Onyx smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I wished this lasts forever." He motioned between them subtly. She grinned. "You romantic, you wern't supposed to tell me! Now it won't come true." She teased. He laughed. "I don't think it applies to fountains, babe."

"Well, in that case," Minerva took a pence from her pocket and tossed it in. "I wish we can find a way to be together without having to hide it."

Onyx grinned. They kissed. They pulled back at the same time and gazed at each other.

Then the gunshot rang through the air.


	11. Chapter 11

I know I'm a terrible person, and I apologize profusly! I started writing a Frozen fanfiction ("A Warm Blizzard") and got caught up in that. I've also started working for my aunt, which takes up a lot of my time. I hope this makes up for things more or less. ^^; Please keep rating and reviewing and all that good stuff my lovely readers. :3

I own anything not Disney and give no permission for it to be used or distributed in any way, shape or form.

* * *

Amelia rushed into the hospital, scanning the waiting room until she found Minerva. The young woman sat in a sterile white chair with her face in her hands and her knees drawn up to her chest, shaking. Jim was beside her, just looking at her and not touching her. Amelia came forward, sitting down in the chair beside her and putting a hand on her shoulder, something she only did because no one else of militarily status was around.

"What happened, child?!" She said in a hurried, hushed voice heavy with concern. Minerva lifted her head and looked at her, and then put it back in her knees and continued shivering and sniffling. Amelia sighed, rubbing her back in a soothing fashion while looking to Jim. Jim swallowed.

"Onyx was shot."

Amelia felt herself go rather pale. "Where?"

"His side. Apparently he fell and hit his head as well. Minerva got an ambulance and found me eating dinner before breaking down."

"Any idea on his status?"

"I think it wasn't _too_ bad."

"Good." Amelia sighed and laid back, wondering if Onyx would be fit to continue service. Though she was concerned for the boy's well being, she knew that he had to have major issues walking in order for him to be able to get out of the war, even if she had any influence on it. She hoped for both their sakes it was a minor injury.

A few minutes later a nurse entered the room.

"Mrs. Arrow?"

Minerva stopped her crying abruptly and stood, staring at her. The nurse came forward as Amelia wondered what the hell had happened.

"Yes, yes how is he?! Is he alright?!"

"He's fine, he's fine, calm yourself miss." The nurse smiled lightly. "He has a minor concussion, and the wound was to his side, but luckily-somehow-didn't hit anything vital. We'll keep him overnight and then release him in the morning."

"Oh-oh thank God." Minerva put a hand on her heart and exhaled, her body relaxing with her breathing. The nurse patted her shoulder. "Thank you for your patience, Mrs. Arrow. He's in room 34." And the nurse simply left. Amelia adored some of the hospitals out of the Terran Empire's rein for this; they didn't pry. She looked to Minerva.

"Onyx isn't married."

"They needed someone to talk to." She said back, shrugging. Amelia paused.

"Who the hell are you."

Minerva smiled a little bit. "I'm Onyx's girlfriend, Madam."

"Oh thank God. I was beginning to think he was queer." Amelia said no more and walked to room 34. She loved leaving people to process things like that-especially when the subject was their significant other. Minerva followed, seeming rather confused but otherwise just concerned with seeing her boyfriend.

Onyx was sitting up in bed with his shirt off and his lower body tightly wrapped. He had wrapping on his head as well, and was looking at a bottle of prescription pain medication in his hand. Upon seeing him, Minerva practically pounced, grabbing him in an overwhelming hug.

"Oh Onyx I was so worried!" She cried and pulled back and kissed the somewhat startled Onyx, who seemed to only put his hands around her waist as a part of his programming. "I thought you died-or worse-I-I-Ohmigawd," she kept rambling her worries, some of which seemed way out of the box. Onyx sat and listened patiently after pulling her into his lap, turning his head only once to smile at Jim and Amelia. Amelia waved back, conceding to wait as well.

"Is she always this hysterical?" Amelia asked out of the corner of her mouth, directed at Jim. A coppery disproval laced her inquiry.

"Not at all." He said back. "Usually she's saltier than you."

"Hmm." She watched Minerva continue to fuss and then talk a bit with Onyx, who spoke a bit slowly-like he was in pain, which, of course, he was. If she didn't act like this normally, it was either love...

Or puppy love.

Amelia knew puppy love never lasted long. For the sake of the two, she prayed this was otherwise. When Minerva finally quieted, Amelia approached and hugged Onyx. He hugged her back very gently. For a man of his stature, Onyx's ability to be gentle and light was surprising to say the least.

"How do you feel dear?" She asked lightly, brushing the bangs that peeked from under the wrappings of his head aside. "Fine, Auntie." He replied quietly, smiling a bit.

"Good. If you'd been injured too badly, your mother would have had my head." Amelia chortled.

"Glad to see you care about me." Onyx joked.

"Dude, you look like shit." Jim said, which probably was something more meaningful in his head.

"Oh thanks, spent a lotta time on my appearence today. That sure wasn't a thorn in my side." Onyx said in mock hurt before both laughed.

"Damn you two know each other too well."

"We do." They said at the same time, then looked at each other.

"Jinx you owe me a soda!" Jim shouted, pointing a finger at Onyx.

Onyx grinned. "Jinx machine is out of order, you owe me a quarter."

"Damn it!" Jim rolled his eyes.

"You owe me a lot of quarters now, y'know."

"Shuddup Onyx."

"You sh-"

"Don't you start." Minerva scolded, sounding too much like a mother. They blinked and looked at each other.

"He started it." They said in unison, pointing at each other. Amelia laughed and hugged Onyx again.

"I apologize you lot, but I have a meeting I must attend." Amelia expressed, donning the hat she'd taken off upon entering the room. Onyx nodded understandingly while Minerva completely ignored her, instead focusing her attention on Onyx's pain medication.

"See you later, then." Jim smiled. Amelia nodded, and left.

* * *

She entered the meeting room, which was held on the Procyon ship that Jim and Onyx and the captain of the RLS Comet had saved. She disliked this. Their white tile floors and mahogany walls and gold plated chairs set her into a pool of unease. She'd never had good experiences with these people, the bastard children of the galaxy. She sat next to Clement, her face turned like she'd eaten something sour. Across from her was Mark, Aurora's First Mate, sitting with a young woman Amelia hadn't rendered the name of. She was Aurora's replacement since Aurora had been shipped back the day after announcing her pregnancy to both Penifold and Amelia. The foul mood she'd been in that day due to the knowledge her friend had to leave the fleet didn't hope to compare with the mood Amelia was in right now.

"Who called this bloody meeting?" Amelia questioned Clement quietly, looking around the room. Every member of the fleet was present-every captain, admiral, and their first mates. The unease began to turn in her stomach in a peculiar way; a way she'd felt only once before.

_This is not happening again!_

Amelia thought, her sudden worry spiking the unease and sending a warm, grimy feeling up her throat and down her legs. She swallowed hard, opening her mouth a sliver and taking slow, calming breaths as the short-in-stature war-chief-gone-ambassador Evan came and stood at the head of the table. She gripped the arms of her chair, her nails digging into the soft gold plating and lodging into the wood. Clement noticed, giving her a sideways look that said "keep it together" before returning his gaze to Evan, who began speaking. Amelia hadn't the slightest idea what he said. Her focus was elsewhere.

Up on the support beams were skinny little Procyon men that would go no higher than Onyx's hip and were more mice than men. As everyone else's attention was held on Evan, these little sneaky snipes went to the back of the room, two silently flipping down and closing the door without the slightest noise. The only door.

"Clement." Amelia hissed. He kept listening to Evan, who was apparently a very good speaker.

"Clement." She hissed again. No response. She refrained from growling and looked at Evan while nudging him. He near jumped and looked at her.

"What?" He whispered. She moved her eyes upward, and he followed, going stock still.

"Amelia." He whispered.

"Yes?"

"We're in big t-"

Suddenly they were grabbed from behind, their eyes shielded, their mouths covered, put into strangling headlocks. Amelia bit, kicked, jabbed, everything she could think of as her lungs screamed for air, but to no anvil. Suddenly as it begun, it ended. A cool cloth was pressed to her nose, and Amelia knew right then before she joined the darkness that she'd made a terrible mistake attending the meeting.


	12. Chapter 12

I apologize for the lateness with the update. I've started working on another story and I also have been doing a lot of family things and I've got a kinda-sorta halftime job, so yeah.

*is still shot*

I hope this makes up for it. You are all free to spam me.

Anything not Disney is mien and will not be used or distributed in any way shape or form.

* * *

"What the fuck." She said outright, sitting up, gripping her head and falling forward, holding herself up with her elbows on her knees as a pounding racketed through her brain like bullets.

"Well that was an attractive statement."

She blinked, letting her mind slowly comprehend the voice of Clement, who seemed to be beside her. In fact, upon lifting her head and turning to the side, she found she was right.

"W-Where are we?" She asked, leaning her head back down. She would literally kill for an aspirin right now.

"From what I've collected, a dungeon of some sort." Clement said, coming to her side. He then pressed two fingers to the back of her neck and began doing some sort of strange massage. Normally Amelia would have slapped him and demanded to know what the bloody hell he was doing, but now she refrained for some reason. It seemed her body knew he was trying to help as the pounding in her head slowly faded, only leaving her with an exhausted feeling throughout her body.

"Thank you." She mumbled, standing on unsteady legs. Clement pushed himself up from his kneeling position and neatened his hair. Amelia looked around with her now clear vision. Stereotypical dungeon. Stone walls and floor, rusting gate closed and locked that kept them in their cell, floor covered in mildew and dirt, and a jolly old skeleton in the corner who wore an outdated Terran Empire naval uniform that expressed his rank of Admiral.

"This is just lovely, isn't it? Rather charming. They've really done their best to keep it up to date and comfortable." Said Amelia sarcastically, bending by the skeleton, which looked human.

"Who is he?" Clement asked, pointing to his nametag. "I can't tell."

"He's, hm," Amelia squinted her eyes at the faded fabric writing and rubbed it with her thumb. She then spat on it and rubbed again but still had issues seeing. "Bloody hell." She easily ripped the patch from the uniform and took it to the front right corner of the cell by a rusting lock, using light from a burning oil lamp in an otherwise pitch black hall to illuminate it.

"It's..." Amelia squinted, slowly tracing the script, then stopped. "T. ...but...that can't...that can't be right..."

Clement cocked his head to the side. "Isn't your maiden name Smollett?"

"Yes, yes it is." She said, turning her head to the skeleton. "But..."

"Did you know this man?" Clement asked, following her gaze.

"Yes."

"...Who is he?"

Amelia looked back to the tag. "T. . Timothy Mallory Smollett. My grandpapa."

"Oh..." Clement looked to the skeleton. "But he's human?"

"He married my grandmama, and she was Felinid. They had my papa, and he married my mama."

"Oh."

"Aye." She went back and slipped the tag into the chest pocket. "He was Rear Admiral until I was seven years old. Then, he went off on a voyage to...to Treasure Planet...and was never seen again."

Clement was silent a moment. "Well...at least you know what happened now..."

"Aye..." Amelia stood. "I suppose I do."

Suddenly, clapping came from nowhere. Both Felinid's turned their ears to the supposed hall and stood in rather feral poses with their claws ready to strike and fur on end. From the shadows came the source of the clapping-a well dressed Procinian. Alright, more than well dressed. Royally dressed. He wore a robin's egg blue robe with navy trimmings, which matched his almost priestly hat and bluish purple robes with both blue and gold trimming. On each finger he had some sort of ring, and he had several necklaces on, tucked under his shirt. He was much taller than the average Procinian and held himself with great dignity and respect.

"Bravo, Miss Smollett." He said in un-accented Terrinian. "Bravo. I wasn't sure if you'd go to the trouble to figure out the name of that poor soul, but you did, and now you know what happens to tresspassers."

Amelia narrowed her eyes. That voice. She recognized it, all to well. "King of Laar decided to pay a visit, eh?"

He smiled twistedly. "I'm a gracious host to my guests, Miss Smollett."

"It's Mrs. Doppler, now." She corrected.

"Ah, proud to be tied down, I see."

"Proud to be in love more like." She felt herself correcting again, approaching the cell door. "Unlike yourself."

"I have married myself, dear Admiral." He smirked.

"Poor woman." She hissed.

"Poor me, more like. I can't go chasing off the palace maids anymore without getting put on the couch." He said, both humorously and pervertedly.

"You're disgusting."

"I've been trying." He sneered. "I see you're just as gorgeous as yo"u were ten years ago."

"Fuck you."

"Sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Hey!" Clement came forward and punched at him, making the cell door rattle and rust float down. The King didn't look the least bit startled.

"Oh, boy-toy?" He said, looking to Amelia. "Rather defensive, isn't he?"

"Go to hell."

"I live on Laar."

Amelia kind of gave an agreeing shrug before reaching through the bars and grabbing the unsuspecting ruler by his collar and pulling, making him slam his face into the bars. Before he could react she did this again, and again and again and again until he was bleeding from the forehead. She then shoved him away, watching him fall to the ground in a heap of robes, briefly watching his hat roll away before stepping from the bars and looking at them, trying to figure a way out. Clement just stood with his mouth wide open.

"You...Just..."

"Quit gawking like a child at a fair and help me figure out an escape plan you dilly-dallying fool." She snapped, crouching down and observing the bottom of the bars, rattling it slightly.

"Is he _dead?!" _Clement asked while making it look like he was trying to find a way out, when in reality he was just staring at the King and the blood slowly trickling from his forehead and dripping onto the stone floor from his raccoon-like whiskers.

"Of course not, though I'm half tempted." Ameila chided, sticking her feet between the bars and managing to use the rust as a sort of grip to help her get up to the top, which was the same height of the ceiling at about ten feet. "That would just cause another war, and I have a feeling this one is already screwing us over."

* * *

After capturing all the admirals and their second in commands, Evan found it amazingly easy to take over the rest of the fleet, and without a single person on the planet they were harbored at noticing. It was simple, really. They'd waited until night with the knowledge that the crew assumed the meeting was going to last a long while, so they wouldn't be suspicious. They also knew all crew was required to return to the ship by eleven at night, no exceptions. It had been easy after that. One of Evan's crew would go to a ship and use their best Procinian skills to quietly detach the ship from the dock and take off without using the thrusters. The next morning, they'd been deep into space, and none of the crews could object. At first, most tried to escape, but that was quickly stopped when Evan made clear that he and his people weren't afraid to publicly execute.

He was just sitting in his stateroom with a cup of tea, feeling rather pleased with himself, when one of his officers barged in. He was one of the larger brutes, and only had small brown circles under his eyes, which meant he was of the lower class. Probably one of the manual laborers Evan had brought along.

"Chief-"

"What gives you the slightest idea it is appropriate to barge in like this!" Evan snapped, standing. The young man was breathing heavily as he dropped to one knee. Evan sniffed in an odd manner that rang his disapproval.

"Chief," the young man said, looking at the ground, "please forgive my unannounced and unprofessional entrance into your quarters."

"I'll think about it." Evan glowered. "What is it you have to say, hm?" He turned to the side, flicking a speck of dust from his pristine desk. The boy was new. He probably was fretting over nothing. The young man stood as Evan was taking a drink from his tea.

"Someone has escaped, sir."

Evan spat out his tea and turned to the young man, jumping over his desk and grabbing him by the collar, slamming him to the wall. "WHO?!"

* * *

Jim panted as he ran through the city. Rain pelted him, his clothes growing heavier and heavier as the liquid seeped in. His boots squished with each pounding step, and he could feel his lungs burning, begging to be let to rest. He refused and kept running, through the streets, jumping over vehicles and dashing into the hospital where he ignored the nurses and everyone else and barged into Onyx's room, where Minerva was dutifully staying by his side, refusing to abide by the curfew rules. Upon his entrance, Onyx and Minerva jumped from their sleep and stared at him.

"Jim, what the hell?!"

"Onyx, bro-"

"WHAT IN BLUE BLAZES YOU DUNDERHEAD, IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!" Minerva snapped, standing.

Onyx took her arm calmly and brought her down, giving her a look as if to tell her to shush before looking to Jim again. "Jim, what's going on?"

Jim took a few gulps of air, leaning against the doorframe, and then slammed the door shut and looked at them. "The Procyons have captured the entire fleet, all the admirals and first mates are who the hell knows where." He gave them a moment to be surprised while leaning on his knees, breathing.

Onyx immediately stood up, removing the IV from his arm and completely ignoring Minerva's requests to "sit your gawd-damn ass down" as he put on his undershirt and then his dress shirt. He put on his cufflinks and, after making sure Minerva had her back turned, put on his pants, then socks and shoes and looked to Jim and Minerva, who were both rather silent, a bit surprised by his wordlessness.

"Well then," he said, walking to the door. Jim watched him slip some pain medication from a nearby table into his pocket. He opened the door and looked to them, "lets go save the queen."

"


End file.
